Disturbing Behavior
by raven612
Summary: Abby and Ducky are held hostage in her lab by a fellow NCIS agent, can Gibbs and his team figure out what has the agent acting so rashly and can they do it in time to save Abby, Ducky, and the agent. Gabby! Some possible Tiva.
1. Situation

**Disturbing Behavior**

**Disclaimer: **Yadda yadda, I own nothing dealing with NCIS, CBS and Bellisario own all that goodness, I merely like to dabble!

**Chapter 1: **Situation

**By: **Raven612

**Summary: **Abby and Ducky are held hostage in her lab by a fellow NCIS agent, can Gibbs and his team figure out what has the agent acting so rashly and can they do it in time to save Abby, Ducky, and the agent. Gabby!! Some possible Tiva.

**A/N: **I got the idea for the story after watching the movie Disturbing Behavior, I was going to use the idea behind that movie for this story, but then decided I had dealt with enough crazy mind control in Midnight Sacrifice. So this story is kind of like the NCIS episode (Bait) where the kid is holding students in his school hostage and is being controlled by an outside source. There will be references to that episode in this story. Also I will be using the name of a well known Columbian drug lord, who was captured back in April, in this fic, just because I know nothing about Columbian drug lords and the article I found about him gives a lot of good information I can incorporate into this story. I find it funny that when they captured him he was cowering under a palm tree 'like a dog,' nice!

**Notes: **Because there is kind of a lot going on in this story, I'm going to separate some things by changing some fonts, so here is what all the italicized things will mean.

'_Words that are italicized and in '' will be when Daniel is talking to Clay and only Clay can hear it'_

_Words just in italics alone will signify thoughts or ASL between Abby and Gibbs._

I hope that that's not too terribly confusing…. **:/ **

……………

Abby was in her lab visiting with Ducky. They were going over recent autopsy reports and she was running a toxicology on one of their latest victims, who Ducky suspects wasn't actually murdered, but overdosed on drugs. The lab doors slid open and she spun on her heel expecting to see Gibbs with her Caf-Pow, but it was Clay Feller, an agent from a different team. She had been dealing closely with his team for the past two weeks as they worked to bring in an overseas Marine suspected of drug trafficking and possible terrorist ties. He had managed to escape Feller's team for a while, but they finally caught him in DC when he made a visit to his wife.

"Morning agent Feller, and what can I do for you today?" she asked him with a smile.

"Morning Abby, just coming by to congratulate you for making the break in the case, without you figuring out he would be coming to DC to see his wife, I'm not sure we would've ever caught him." Clay said happily, Abby beamed and smothered him in a hug. For being in the congratulatory mood, he was pretty tense.

"That's our Abigail; she's always a step ahead of everyone else."

"Aw Ducky, thanks, but so are you, well you could possibly be three steps ahead of everyone with your autopsy findings." She felt she had to share the limelight with the ME, he was the one who found condoms full of cocaine in each of the dead sailors, who had been working closely with the Marine, Jason Greene.

Ducky smiled and patted her on the back.

"Need anything else agent Feller?" she asked noticing that he was looking around her lab, almost like he was studying it.

He turned to her with a forced smile, "Nope, but if we need anything processed I'll be sure to bring it right to you." He smiled and nodded his head to both Abby and Ducky before going back to his desk.

As soon as he was gone Abby turned to Ducky, her rubber boots squeaking as she did so, "Did he seem a little hinky to you?" she questioned.

Ducky was still looking the way the man had gone, "He was a little tense, but I suppose that it's because they just solved one of their toughest cases to date. A Marine like Jason Greene doesn't go down easy. I'm expecting something to happen as an after affect, I just pray that Clay's team realizes that their actions, however noble they were, won't be taken lightly. Jason may have been a trafficker, but he was working for someone, and that someone would not take kindly to his biggest seller and best means of drug trafficking being cut off so suddenly, he will retaliate."

Abby shivered, "Poor Clay, as if the case wasn't hard enough."

Ducky nodded then turned back to Abby, "I'm going to make sure Jimmy hasn't made a mess with my morgue, I'll be back when you've got the results from the toxicology."

Abby smiled at the ME and hugged him tightly, "Call ya first thing Duck."

He smiled and nodded as he left her lab for his morgue.

………….

Clay Feller had been with NCIS for ten years and would never betray them, but the photo he received earlier that morning showing his wife bound and gagged in their kitchen chair, along with his twin daughters, Sarah and Jessie, only eight years old, and a separate picture of his three month old son still asleep in his crib, he knew he'd do anything to save them. That's why he, after receiving the e-mail giving him detailed instructions on what to do with the items sent in a separate package, placed a small camera in Abby's lab and the earpiece in his own ear and was now dealing with Daniel Rendón Herrera, aka Don Mario. Columbia's most wanted drug lord. Clay was to get all evidence from the Greene case, destroy it and free Jason, he had 48 hours, or the men in Clay's house would kill his children and wife.

Daniel Rendón Herrera, instructed Clay to take any actions necessary to quickly accomplish his task, and if it meant holding anyone hostage, so be it. Daniel also advised Clay to share as little information as possible about his situation with any other NCIS agent. Clay already knew he'd have to deal with Abby as she knew all the particulars about the case and he had to use her to get the evidence. He hated the thought of using her as bait, but he couldn't let his family be murdered. He sat in his desk listening to Daniel.

_'I see we will have to have a hostage situation, that little lab rat will be perfect. You should see about getting her transferred to Columbia, she'd be a tasty treat.' _Daniel laughed rudely at his own comment.

Clay didn't want to draw attention to himself, or his situation so he whispered back with his head ducked down near his desk, "I will not hurt Abby; she is an amazing forensic scientist and has nothing to do with you."

_'Oh, but Clay, she does. She's the one who found out Jason would be coming to DC, she's the one who analyzed all the evidence, the one who figured out who killed the sailors, the one who successfully matched Jason's fingerprint to the ones found on the bodies and the murder weapon. Now, I will say, Jason was very sloppy, and if he would've taken the time to clean up after his messes, he wouldn't have been put away so quickly. It is because of her that we are in this situation, Feller, now do you want Helen here to pay for your sins, or will you do as I say?' _Daniel smiled after his speech and Clay could almost see the smug look on his face.

"Don't you touch Helen, she's innocent, please don't hurt my family, I'll do whatever you ask, just leave them out of this."

_'Good choice Clay, now first things first, open your top, right drawer.'_

Clay did so and found a Colt Delta Elite 10mm Automatic hand gun. He looked around his desk; his team members were busy with paperwork and hadn't noticed how pale his face had become.

_'Put that into the waistband of your pants, they will take you a bit more seriously with that gun rather than your SIG. Keep both guns on you and the knife, you'll find that in your second drawer. I want NCIS to take you seriously and I want this all done as quick as possible. Now I have done research on the other teams around NCIS so that I am familiar with them. I have found that there is a team who is under the leadership of a Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs; I have found that that team is a favorite of Abigail Scuito. She also seems to be the apple of this Jethro fellow's eye. Do what you must in order for them to cooperate with you. My team will take care of anything else. You focus on your task and I will focus on mine, you have 48 hours, when that time is up and you have failed me, your entire family will die. I will keep in contact with you when I see fit, otherwise handle it in your own way. Don't upset me, Clay, I might take it out on one, or possibly both of your little girls.'_

Clay clenched his teeth and restrained from slamming his fist on his desk, Daniel was good, too good. Clay doubted they could get out of this situation without following the drug lord's orders. He knew that Daniel has command over hundreds of armed men in a private militia and directed a criminal organization that sent hundreds of tons of cocaine to the United States. Clay was like putty in Daniel's hands, he knew his best bet would be to jump in head first and get everything over as quickly as possible.

………

Gibbs and his team were finishing paperwork on a pretty routine case. He had a break between papers and decided to visit his favorite little lab rat, and bring her a Caf-Pow. He was greeted by blaring music; he covered his ear with his free hand as he yelled out to her gently swaying form.

"Abby!" he screamed, she turned to him and smiled widely, she clicked her mouse a few times and the noise disappeared.

"Gibbs, how nice of you to bring my Caf-Pow this morning, I almost thought I'd have to get it myself." She took her drink and began to sip immediately.

He just smiled and made his way to her computer to see what she was working on, "Whatchya got going on this morning?" he asked watching all kinds of data running across a computer screen.

"Just running some toxicology tests for Ducky and his latest addition," She reported as she pushed herself from one computer to the next.

Gibbs nodded, he knew he should head back up to the bullpen, but he always loved being around Abby. He'd been in love with her for the better part of nine years now, and still couldn't find the words to tell her, he wasn't even sure he wanted to tell her, not until he knew her feelings. He wouldn't dare jeopardize the relationship they shared now. He knew she liked older men, but he'd figured she'd never see him as much more than her boss and best friend.

"Anything I can do for you Gibbs?" she asked noticing him linger.

"Not yet, just delivering your Caf-Pow," he turned and left. He really couldn't believe he had just used that lame excuse. He shook his head as he rode he elevator to the squad room.

Abby smiled when she heard Gibbs' excuse. He sounded awkward and it only reminded her that her boss, and man she loved, was still a human after all. Her smile remained as she turned back to her computer to wait for the results of her toxicology reports.

………………..

Clay was sweating and his hands shook. He walked stiffly to the elevator fully determined to get this whole ordeal over with and have no one be harmed. He felt the Delta Elite 10mm Automatic in his waistband like a storm cloud over his head; he was almost convinced everyone already knew what was going on. He could hear his pulse pounding through his head. As soon as he was in the elevator, it seemed reality was crashing around him. He couldn't believe he was actually going to hold Abby hostage in her own lab. He was trying to figure out how to go about handling everything once he faced her. He breathed in deeply trying to calm his jumpy nerves. The ding signaled that he had reached Abby's floor.

_'Go on Clay, you're a trained agent, you can handle this with ease, I have faith in you, as does your family. Don't disappoint us Feller.'_ Daniel's harsh voice suddenly rasped in his ear and caused him to jump.

Clay cursed under his breath, felt the cool metal of the Delta Elite 10mm Automatic against his skin and stepped into Abby's lab.

Abby looked up when she heard her doors open and close and saw Clay standing, looking a little disoriented. "You okay agent Feller?" she asked with concern, something was hinky.

Before Clay could answer Ducky entered, "Afternoon Clay, nice to see new faces up here."

Clay forced a smile as Ducky passed him, Daniel's voice rang through his head again, _'Looks like this has just turned into a two person hostage situation, no worries, with two lives at risk, Gibbs' team is twice as likely to respond how we want them to.'_

"No," he hissed under his breath, he then turned from Ducky and Abby, who were watching him wondering what was going on, "I will not hurt either of them, I don't even want to threaten them. Why bring them into this situation, they don't deserve it, let me handle it on my own."

_'You're disappointing me Clay, when you disappoint me, your wife must pay, I think she'll look good with a scar,'_ Daniel snickered, Clay's phone vibrated in his pocket, he extracted it and flipped it open. He received a new picture message. He opened it and gasped, it was a picture of his wife, eyes wide and tears running down her face, her left cheek was sliced and bleeding profusely.

"Clay, are you alright?" Ducky ventured stepping forward.

"Stay back, Dr. Mallard," he ordered in a shaky voice as he turned to him with the Delta Elite 10mm Automatic drawn and pointed at both Ducky and Abby.

"Clay, what's going on?" Abby asked instinctively taking a step back.

"You two have to believe me, I don't want to do this, but he's making me," Clay tried to plead with them.

"Who, Clay, who is making you do this?" Ducky asked, concern was still evident in his voice.

"Daniel Rendón Herrera, he's holding my family hostage," Clay then threw the two pictures of his family at Ducky and Abby.

Abby bent to retrieve them from the floor, she gasped when she saw them, "What do we need to do Clay?" she asked setting them on her desk.

"Daniel wants you to call Gibbs, put him on speaker phone. He's allowing us to share information with Gibbs' team."

Ducky shook his head, "What has this got to do with us?"

Clay turned to the ME, "You weren't supposed to be a part of it Dr. Mallard; I only have forty eight hours to accomplish all that he wants me to, or else he'll kill my wife and children." The gun he was holding was beginning to shake as his emotions began to play across his face.

"And what does he want you to do?" Abby asked, she was now seated near her computer.

Clay looked to her, "He wants me to get the evidence from the Jason Greene case, destroy it and get Jason released from prison."

Abby and Ducky looked to one another, then Abby looked to Clay, "Even if we could successfully accomplish all of that, there's no way we could do it all in forty eight hours, that's impossible."

"Get Gibbs on the line," Clay snapped, Daniel was getting restless.

Abby nodded and hit the speed dial for her boss.

"Yeah, Abs?" he barked, she had interrupted his paperwork.

"Uhm, Gibbs we have a bit of a problem down here." She wasn't sure how he would read her words.

"What is it Abby?" he asked, a slight hint of irritation present.

"What if I were to tell you it was a hostage situation?" she bit her bottom lip hoping he wouldn't act too rashly.

"What?!" he snapped, he wasn't sure what she meant by that, she sounded calm, a little too calm.

"Ducky and I are being held at gun point, don't panic, it isn't entirely our captors fault."

"What the hell does that mean Abs, I'm coming down."

"Agent Gibbs, you can't do that," Clay said suddenly speaking up.

"Who is that?" he snapped, he already had his sig in his waistband.

"Special Agent Clay Feller, Gibbs, I have very precise orders and I can't stray from them." Clay answered.

_'Go ahead clay, tell Agent Gibbs the story, and let him know just what's going on here.'_

Clay set his jaw angrily, "Here's the story Gibbs. Daniel Rendón Herrera has my family held hostage in my house, my two little girls and baby boy along with my wife. He already hurt my wife. If I don't get all the evidence from the Jason Greene case and destroy it and set Jason Greene free, he will kill them all."

A flashback to the murders of his wife and little girl had Gibbs paling. McGee noticed from across the squad room and tried to hear what was going on. "What do Abby and Ducky have to do with it?" he asked.

"Well Ducky wasn't a part of the original plan, but he was here when I got here so Daniel decided to add him into this game."

"You tell Daniel Rendón Herrera that he will not win, he has no idea who he is dealing with."

Clay winced at the anger evident in Gibbs' voice, "Agent Gibbs, he says that _you_ have no idea who you are dealing with."

Gibbs swore, "Abby, let me talk to you privately."

Abby picked up her phone and took it off speaker, "Gibbs?" she ventured softly.

"Abby, are you okay?" he asked, worry was clearly evident.

"I'm fine, I think as long as we do what he says we should all be fine, Gibbs, they're so little," Abby was referring to Clay's children.

"Don't worry Abs, I said that no one would ever hurt you, and no one ever will, I'll kill Daniel myself, we'll you have you guys out in a few hours."

Abby smiled lightly, she knew he was trying to comfort her, "I know you will Gibbs, I'll hold on until then."

……………….

Gibbs slammed his receiver down in its cradle and rubbed his hands over his face, he then turned to his team who were all looking at him questioningly. "McGee, pull up the security feed to Abby's lab on the plasma, DiNozzo pull up all records for Clay Feller, Ziva pull up records on Daniel Rendón Herrera." He barked his orders and went to stand in front of the plasma along with McGee.

They were greeted with an image of Clay Feller holding a large gun pointed to Abby, Ducky stood off to the side. Abby was working on something on the computer; Clay was pacing behind her with the gun pointed to her. He looked uncomfortable and unsure.

"What's going on boss?" McGee asked looking in horror at the scene before him.

"It's just like that case a while back where the kid came to school with a bomb, he wasn't in control, an outside source was. Daniel Rendón Herrera is holding Agent Feller's family captive and is ordering Feller to do the same with Abby. He's trying to get evidence from the Greene case destroyed in hopes of freeing Greene."

"But, that's basically impossible; we sent that evidence overseas last week to be reviewed by his commanding officer in their office." McGee stated.

"I know McGee, but if Daniel Rendón Herrera finds out, we'll have a few dead bodies to deal with."

"Clay Feller lives on the corner of Caroline Ave. and 10th St." Tony called, he then noticed the scene on the plasma and joined Gibbs and McGee, "What in the hell is going on?" he demanded, anger was present in the agents voice and eyes.

"I've got a lot on Daniel Rendón Herrera; he is Columbia's most wanted drug lord. He is a very powerful man; he allegedly commands hundreds of armed men in a private militia. He is not a force to be reckoned with." Ziva too then noticed the scene on the plasma and joined the agents.

"He's obviously never met Gibbs," Tony commented with a slight chuckle. Gibbs promptly head slapped him.

"I want Ziva and DiNozzo stationed outside Clay's house, assess the situation there, McGee figure out if Herrera is hacking into Abby's computers, check if he's using any type of live video feed, I have a feeling this will be a lot like the school bomb case. I also have a feeling Herrera is nearby, he'd want to witness this."

"On it boss," came the unanimous response from his team.

Ziva grabbed the car keys, but Tony hastily stole them from her grasp, "Not today Ziva, our lives are in too much of a need for you to possibly maim us." Tony sneered as they hurried to the garage.

A beeping on Gibbs' computer signified that he had received a new e-mail, it was from an unknown source, he waved McGee over to try and trace it, and this is what the e-mail said:

**Dear Agent Gibbs, take a moment to see what Clay Feller has to lose if he screws this up. If you and your team do not cooperate, then the doctor and the scientist will die. The gun I have given to Feller can cause a lot of damage, shatter bones, and leave holes the size of a grapefruit. Listen to what Clay says, his orders come directly from me, follow the rules and your precious Abigail shall turn out unharmed along with the unfortunate doctor. You can try and trace this e-mail, but it would be of no use. You can try and find me Gibbs, but I promise you, you will not win this one.**

McGee began typing away at Gibbs' computer, a few moments later he confirmed what the drug lord had said in his e-mail, "It's untraceable, I can keep running the program and maybe something will turn up," the look from Gibbs made him realize he would be continuing to run the program in hopes that it might lead them somewhere.

"I'm going down to the lab, head to MTAC, see if DiNozzo and Ziva are set up, I'll be up in a few."

McGee nodded, swallowed heavily as he looked to the plasma screen before ascending the stairs to MTAC.

……………….

Gibbs took the stairs; he didn't want to call any unnecessary attention onto himself. As he got to the landing just before Abby's door, he pulled his gun from his waistband and had it held in front of him. He opened her outer door and stepped inside. He could see Ducky lounging against a counter, his arms crossed, and his eyes racing around the room. Gibbs then saw Abby sitting in her computer chair, looking at Feller, trying to talk to him about something, then he watched as Feller slapped her across the face, Ducky was at her side immediately. He stepped up to her doors, they didn't open. He figured they'd have been deactivated, but he had to try. Feller then noticed him standing there. Feller walked up to the doors, pain and confliction was clearly present in his eyes.

"Agent Gibbs, you have to go back to the squad room, Daniel says that if you don't I'm to make you watch as one of the hostages suffers. He said he will communicate with you through e-mail, please Gibbs, go; I don't want to hurt them." Feller was pleading, an agent never pleads, but he had a lot at stake.

Gibbs looked to Abby, _Go, Gibbs, don't give Daniel a reason to hurt you too, we can figure this out, I trust you. Don't worry, Ducky's here, I'll be fine, love you. _She signed to him quickly.

Gibbs looked to Agent Feller, "You already hurt her, touch her again Feller and I'll have your ass." _We'll get you guys out, don't worry Abby; love you too_. He signed to her hastily

Clay nodded and stepped away from the doors. Gibbs turned, holstered his gun, and walked back to the squad room and then up the stairs to MTAC.

"Hello boss, we've got Feller's house in our sights, we counted five guys, want us to go in?" Tony asked, Jen stood off to the side observing, McGee had briefly explained their situation, and subsequently she ordered all of NCIS on lockdown.

"Stay where you are DiNozzo, chances are he's got others observing the house as well, McGee is working to trace the e-mail from Herrera to figure out where he is. Nothing is coming up yet, but he believes if he continues to run the program he can find something."

"Gibbs, we can take the five men, I see none surveying the area." Ziva pleaded as she lowered the binoculars. She was amped and wanted to do anything she could to save all the lives at stake.

"Stand down Officer David, we are going to do this right, one wrong move and Herrera will know, wait until I give you another order, NCIS is on lockdown, so you two will have to stay in the field, McGee and I will coordinate here."

Tony nodded stiffly, "She okay boss?"

Gibbs sighed, "For now Tony, for now."

Tony nodded again, "We'll get him boss."

"He'll pay," Ziva added, her eyes remaining glued on the house watching for anything suspicious.

"That he will," Gibbs agreed, he then turned to the Director, "Let us know if anything comes up, McGee and I are going to try and figure out who the mole might be, also I want all the recent mailroom employees rounded up. Herrera had eyes in here somewhere and I want them."

"Jethro, we'll rescue her, I've already got personal sorting out new employees and doing background checks, I'll let you know when that's done." She rested a supportive hand on his shoulder, she tried to smile, but she was just as worried about Abby and Ducky as he was.

"Come on McGee, we have more information to sift through," Gibbs said and McGee was on his heels as they went back to their desks. As soon as McGee sat down he started typing away.

"We'll get you Abs, just hang in there," he whispered quietly as he watched her pace in her lab, he tried to hear what was going on, but the audio was garbled and he couldn't make out anything.

………………….

Ducky had taken occupancy on her stool; he was watching the interaction between Agent Feller and Abby.

"Feller, I don't know how many times I need to explain this to you, the evidence isn't here, we sent it to Jason's commanding officer to analyze, they've got their own forensic scientist and they want to take care of their own."

Feller cursed and slammed his fists against her steel table; "There has to be something we can do," the 10mm gun was back in his waistband. Abby's cheek had bruised and swollen slightly.

"Clay, please calm down, is there any way we can talk to Daniel?" Ducky asked, he was growing rather tired of playing the captive role.

"He can hear you, he's got a camera in here, he can see and hear us, and he's also had the feed to the morgue camera cut so they can't contact you through there, only the phone or computer."

Abby nodded, she already knew about the morgue cam, she'd tried to get through to Jimmy, but it was dead. "Well Feller, you're going to have to kill us then, there is no way we can do what Daniel wants in forty eight hours," Abby sighed as she spun to face him.

Clay wiped the sweat from his brow, "Not acceptable, please Abby, don't let my family suffer."

Abby wanted a way to talk to Clay without Herrera listening in, but it was nearly impossible, all she could think to do was stall. She knew Gibbs would rescue them; she just needed to keep Herrera from hurting Clay's family.

"There's one thing I haven't tried yet, it will take several hours, but it might help," Abby lied, she had nothing she could do, but she typed away at her computer and watched as data flashed across her screen. She and McGee, out of sheer boredom one night, created a program to randomly run data across databases, since they weren't trying to find information nothing ever showed up. She figured she could buy some time with making it look as though she was doing something.

Clay nodded and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, "Thanks Abby, I'm so sorry about all of this, I wish it didn't have to be like this," he sighed again, Ducky went over the agent and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Stay calm Clay, if you start to act irrationally then that gives more motives to Daniel to hurt your family."

Clay nodded, Abby was studying her own lab, she knew she couldn't try to escape, more lives than just hers and Ducky's were on the line. She couldn't let the innocent little kids be hurt because she was selfish and wanted to get away, no, she'd try her damnedest to help them get out of their situation.

……………….

Gibbs was pacing behind his desk; the Director was finishing rounding up the newest employees. McGee was running background checks on all of them. So far nothing out of the ordinary popped up. Gibbs went to the hall where they all stood against the wall. Director Shepard was standing across from them; her eyes were darting from face to face. Two employees stood out to her, their posture suggested guilt and the fact that they were hiding something. Each came from Spanish backgrounds, but nothing showed up on their background checks. As soon as Gibbs joined her, she pointed them out to him. He nodded and ordered them into an interrogation room.

Raphael Ramirez was the first Gibbs questioned, he sat across from the figidity man and waited for him to talk.

"You can beat me till I'm bloody it will not help, as soon as this is over I am dead anyways." Raphael said his eyes darted all around the room, not daring to meet Gibbs'.

"Why?"

"He has no more use for me, he just needed someone on the inside, told me it wouldn't matter if I tell you everything, I'd still die and he'd still win."

"He isn't going to win, not this round, he picked the wrong man to mess with, where is Herrera staying?"

"He's never in one place more than once, he didn't tell me anything, just told me that he needed me in the mail room, to become familiar with Agent Feller's mail, and that I was to be the one to deliver the letter and package today, Joseph will know more, he has been here longer." Raphael was trying to save himself, somehow, but he knew that no matter what, he was a dead man; he had nothing to lose.

Gibbs nodded and let the man out, "Keep an eye on him," he ordered to McGee, he then motioned for Joseph to be brought in.

"I'm sure Raphael has shared out situation with you, I have nothing to add, I'm also a dead man once this is all over."

"Why agree to everything, if it means you'll die anyways?"

"To save my family, he said he would kill them otherwise," Joseph slides a photo across the table; it is a picture of a young, Spanish looking woman and a baby. The woman's face is bruised and bloody, her hands are tied behind her back and a gag is in her mouth. The baby, a little girl, has a black and blue mark on her cheek. Gibbs cringes and shoves the photo back to the man.

"You're all going to be safe, we'll get him, do you know where he lives, places he frequents?"

"No, he never told me much about himself, he only comes to the states when necessary. He never stays in a hotel room; the best I can give you is that he has dealers here that he stays with. I don't know what he drives. His vehicle changes almost every hour, always stolen then returned to the owner. It's a grueling process but it keeps the cops from figuring out his trail." Joseph takes a breath, lifts his head and looks at Gibbs, "He's already killed them, my wife and child, determination makes you think you can find him, I thank you for thinking you can save us, but you can't. He'll win, he always does."

Gibbs cringed on the inside when Joseph admitted the fact that his wife and child were already dead. Herrera was good, Gibbs would give him that, but Gibbs was good too, he'd just have to be better.

**A/N: **Working on three stories at once is tiring! Well, actually, it'll be two stories soon, this one and the sequel to Midnight Sacrifice. I just had to get this all written out before I forgot it, I'm a very forgetful person! I hope you like it, and I hope I did a good job with it, please review!!! I live for your reviews!!


	2. Dire Straights

**Disturbing Behavior**

**By: **Raven612

**Chapter 2: **Dire Straights

**A/N: **Sorry this update took so long, it's finals week in college, but I'm finally all done now!! So on with this story!

……………………..

The two employees previously interrogated by Gibbs were sitting handcuffed to chairs next to each other. McGee's eyes kept darting to them, they hadn't moved a muscle since being seated, and both just kept looking down. Gibbs was watching the feed from Abby's lab; she was hugging Bert and standing near Ducky. Clay was off to the side, it looked like he was talking to Herrera. A beeping on Gibb's computer signified another e-mail. He called it up on screen.

**Gibbs, you think you can win? I am growing a little frustrated with this situation; I think I need to get through to you and your team. What will it take Leroy? Will I have to hurt Abby or Ducky, who do you value more? Which shall I kill first? I can't kill both at the same time; maybe I need you to see that this situation is very serious. **

"Damnit!" Gibbs cursed as he slammed his fist against his desk, he was about to go to Abby's lab when sudden movement on the plasma caught his attention. Abby was standing stiffly against her computer table, a scared look in her eyes. Ducky was trying to grab Clay's arms, suddenly a flash and Abby was on her knees. Ducky was instantaneously at her side.

"Wha…what just happened?" McGee stammered as he put his phone down.

"The bastard," was all Gibbs could choke out between his clenched teeth. He hastily flew down the stairs to Abby's lab.

McGee turned back to the plasma, Clay had slid down the wall and had his feet sprawled out in front of him, a dazed look on his face.

……………..

Gibbs was pounding on Abby's lab doors; ducky was the first to notice and approached him.

"What the hell happened?" Gibbs barked.

Ducky shook his head grimly, "She's lucky it's not Herrera here himself, the bullet Clay shot off only grazed her upper arm. I've tied some material from her lab coat around the wound, but she will need stitches. Jethro, we haven't got much time, I believe the next move will involve death."

Gibbs nodded, "Is she alright?" he asked, almost too quietly.

Ducky nodded, he then stepped aside as Abby approached, her uninjured hand was holding her wound, and Gibbs could see the liquid crimson seeping between her fingers. "Hey Gibbs," she muttered.

"Abby, we'll get you two out of this, I promise," his voice was strained, he tried to keep it calm and even, but a tremor of worry seeped in.

Abby winced and nodded, "We need to save his family Gibbs."

"I know Abby, I know," he sighed, he rested his palm against her door, she fitted her smaller hand in his and smiled sadly.

"Be careful Gibbs," she smiled weakly for him and winced when her wound protested. Ducky was back and steered her away from the door and into her computer chair.

"I'll look after her Jethro, but I think Daniel is getting restless, I do not think he will stick to his original forty eight hour deadline, not if he ordered…" Ducky cringed and Gibbs only nodded.

"We've got two leads, so far they're of no use, Tony and Ziva are watching Feller's house."

Ducky nodded and turned away from Gibbs, as Ducky walked away Gibbs caught Clay's eyes. Clay immediately averted his gaze; Gibbs wished he could kill with a look. Gibbs made his way back to the squad room. McGee was talking with Raphael, who promptly shut-up when Gibbs entered.

Gibbs was about to question Raphael when McGee interrupted him, "Raphael just admitted that they had a third person in on this whole situation, they don't know what his job was, just that he worked on the janitorial crew."

"Name?" Gibbs demanded.

"Uhm, Derrick Velasquez, he didn't show up for work today, I have his home address," McGee handed Gibbs the paper he had printed.

Gibbs didn't want to leave NCIS, he wanted to be around to make sure Abby wouldn't be hurt again, but he knew it was crucial for Tony and Ziva to stay on lookout at Clay's house. "C'mon McGee, we're going to talk to Derrick," Gibbs grabbed his coat, as he already had his SIG.

"Uh, but what about lockdown?"

"What about it?"

"Right," McGee mumbled as he followed on the heels of his boss, he cast one last glance at the plasma before rounding the corner.

………………………….

"Tony, there are only five guys, we can take them, how do we know that Herrera is not one of those guys," Ziva was exasperated and wanted to kick some ass.

"I want to kick their ass just as much as you, probably more, but we don't need our asses to go back to NCIS in bags, not until we know no one else is watching the house, we'll make our move then."

Ziva let out an annoyed sigh and slumped back further into her seat. She raised the binoculars to her eyes and watched a man pace the kitchen; another man emerged from a side room carrying the baby. Ziva's breath caught in her throat as she watched the men. She watched as the man with the baby yelled at another man. The mother was straining against her restraints and tears were running down her cheeks.

"Tony I can't sit here and watch this, there are children in there."

"I thought an assassin had no room for feelings," he hadn't meant it, but with his emotions and nerves on edge he couldn't stop it before it was out.

Ziva turned to him with an icy glare, "We are not heartless Tony."

"Sorry, I didn't mean it, you don't think they'd actually kill a baby, do you?" he asked, hoping she would say no.

"A man like Herrera would, I also think he has killed many innocent women and children," Ziva was about to continue with more startling information, but a car pulling into the driveway caught her attention; she smacked Tony and motioned to it.

"Shift changes?" he wondered aloud, two men emerged from the car and entered the house. None of the other men left, the car backed from the driveway and drove east. Tony wanted to follow, but he had to keep surveillance on the house.

"I think they're amping up security, you don't think they know we're here; do you?" Ziva asked turning back to Tony.

"No, if they knew we were here, we wouldn't be breathing, I think something might have happened and Herrera is starting to feel uncomfortable," Tony stopped, he knew Herrera had done something to highly upset Gibbs and that Gibbs was raging and leaving no stone unturned, no crime is ever perfect, except if Abby were to commit it.

"What could he have done?" Ziva wondered aloud as she rubbed her aching eyes.

Tony opened his mouth to answer her, but the ringing of his phone cut him off, "DiNozzo."

"DiNozzo, anything changed at the house?" Gibbs asked.

"They amped up security, did something happen?"

Gibbs sighed, "Yeah, something happened."

"What?" Tony snapped.

"Abby was shot, the bullet only grazed her upper arm, left a deep wound, she's lucky Ducky is in her lab with her."

"Son of a bitch," Tony mumbled, Ziva turned to him wondering what happened, he held out his finger to her as he listened to what Gibbs had to say.

"McGee and I are working on a lead, I want you to stay where you are, keep watching the house, call you when I know more."

"Alright boss," Tony sighed and snapped his phone shut, he then recounted his conversation to Ziva.

Ziva balled her fists, "I swear Tony, there is no one else watching this house, we need to get in there and secure the family, once we do that Clay is free and will have no reason to hurt Abby or Ducky."

"He already hurt Abby, and we're staying here until we get orders otherwise, there could be more of Herrera's men in the houses surrounding Feller's. For instance, the house across the street, no one's been there for at least three weeks."

"And how do you know?" Ziva asked.

Tony smirked, "The grass is high, the shrubs are starting to look messy and there are five newspapers sitting on the stoop."

"And how does that tell you no one has been there for three weeks?"

"Three weeks is just an estimate, and as you can see the shrubs had been trimmed a while ago and they're starting to grow out, the flowers along the walk would signify maybe an old woman's touch, and the grass, every man takes pride in his lawn and would have had it mowed by now." He quirked his eyebrow at her.

Ziva nodded, she turned the binoculars towards the house, she then noticed a man peeking through the curtains, watching Feller's house, "I guess he does have his own surveillance, maybe best if we sit tight, until they figure out we're here."

Tony only nodded.

……………

Gibbs and McGee arrived at Derrick's apartment.

McGee knocked, "NCIS open up Derrick," he called pounding on the door. No answer.

"Special agents Gibbs and McGee, open up!" Gibbs yelled as he pounded on the door, still no answer. He crouched down and worked his lock picking magic and the door popped open.

Gibbs and McGee entered with their guns pointed in front of them.

"Clear," McGee called; Gibbs was heading down the hall and entered the bedroom.

"In here McGee," he called holstering his gun.

McGee entered and saw the body. Derrick had shot himself in the head; there was a note on the desk. McGee put some gloves on and grabbed it. He read it and his eyes went wide, he then handed it to Gibbs.

_**I'm sorry agents, but I couldn't handle it anymore. Daniel had too much control and I needed out. I will share one secret with you; Daniel has two small bombs planted in the Forensics Lab office. They are small enough so they won't bring the building down, but small enough to cause a great deal of damage to the Forensics Lab and anyone in it. Daniel has the switch. One bomb is under the desk and the second is on the wall near the entry. I doubt you can get to them though, I jammed the locking mechanism to Abby's office, and no one gets in or out. All you can do is kill Daniel.**_

Gibbs crushed the note in his grasp and cursed brightly under his breath, "What're we going to do boss?" McGee asked in almost a whisper.

Gibbs was about to say 'call Ducky,' but that wasn't going to happen, "Bag and tag, we're going to treat this like any other crime scene, call Palmer, see if he can operate alone."

McGee nodded and flipped open his phone and pressed his speed dial for Palmer. Jimmy had grimly agreed to come and collect the body. Gibbs paced the apartment, searched for more clues, something to let him know where Herrera was and how he could find him. He then called Abby.

…………

Abby had been sitting in her computer chair for over an hour, Herrera had figured out her fake data running scheme, she had details from the case displayed on her screen. Herrera wasn't happy with it and the fact that Abby wouldn't destroy it. That was why she now had a painful wound on her arm and a bloody lab jacket. The ringing of her phone made all present jump.

"Hello," she said hoarsely.

"You feeling okay Abbs?" Gibbs asked.

"Could be better, tell me you have some good news," she had a pleading tone in her voice.

Gibbs sighed, "Afraid I've got some bad news; it seems as insurance to make sure something drastic happens because of all this; Herrera had two small bombs planted in your office. Herrera has the switch; do not do anything that might make him want to set the bombs off."

Abby gulped and nodded, "Okay," she weakly whispered back.

"Put Ducky on," Gibbs said and he heard slight shuffling on her end before Ducky grabbed the phone.

"Yes Jethro?" Ducky asked.

"Herrera has bombs in Abby's office, I want you two to do whatever Herrera orders; I do not want either of you seriously injured."

"Will do Jethro, you can count on us, just as we can count on you," Ducky replied grimly. He wasn't sure how good their chances were now. He sighed as he gently hung up Abby's phone. He turned to her and saw the stunned look on her face.

"We have no way out Duck," she muttered quietly, a tear ran down her cheek.

Ducky wiped it away and offered her a sad smile, "My dear Abigail, Jethro is working hard and he'll figure out how to get us out of this mess, Daniel will not know what hit him once Jethro gets through with him."

"Herrera says that if you value your life, Dr. Mallard, you won't talk about him like that," came Clay's raspy voice from where he sat still on the floor.

"Clay, you need to remain positive, that is the only way we can beat Daniel."

"Ducky's right, think positive, though it's hard with an injured arm," Abby sneered, hoping Herrera would get the point.

"How will agent Gibbs get us out of this? We are pawns in a game, Herrera is winning." Clay said hopelessly as he rose and shoved the gun back into his waistband.

Abby shook her head, "Gibbs will get us out of this; he always does."

_'The little lab rat is too confident in her boss, I thought she'd learn with the wound to her arm she'd be a bit more cooperative.'_ Herrera said with a chuckle.

"We can't help you Daniel, Abby said they have no physical evidence here, you need to deal with the base in Cuba."

_'Not a good answer, you wouldn't want me to do something harmful to your daughter, or daughters…'_ Herrera trailed letting his words sink in.

"What?" Clay asked, a form of hope was evident in his eyes and Abby watched him intently.

_'Your daughters, Clay, you wouldn't want me to hurt one, or possibly your son…'_ Herrera chuckled slightly, a realization dawned on Clay.

"You leave my children alone, Herrera, just tell us what to do," Clay said.

_'Tell that lab rat to send all information she has to this address,' _Clay motions for a pen and paper, Ducky hands it to him. Clay jots down the information and hands it to Abby.

Ducky reads over her shoulder, both he and Abby's eyes go wide. Clay pretended to take down the e-mail address; in actuality he wrote out that Herrera was in his house with his family. Abby was now presented with the trouble of telling Gibbs. Her lab was bugged and she couldn't figure out a safe way, then it hit her. She had her cell phone, she pulled it from her lab coat and quickly texted the information to Gibbs. She knew Herrera probably saw what she had done.

"What did you do?" Clay demands turning to Abby.

"Nothing, I turned my phone off," she lied shoving it back into her pocket.

Clay held his hand out for it, she reluctantly handed it to him. He placed it on the floor and shot it. The pieces flew everywhere striking all three people.

Ducky went to Abby and put his arms around her hunched shoulders, "We'll be alright Abigail," Ducky said trying to sooth her.

Abby nodded and reached up with her good hand and squeezed his hand, "I know Duck, I know."

……………..

Gibbs was about to pull out of the apartment lot when his phone started to beep. He pulled it out; a strange message was telling him he had one new text. He held it up to McGee, "What's that mean?" he asked.

"Uh, it means someone sent you a text message, it looks like it's from Abby," McGee answered, Gibbs turned the phone back so he could look at it.

He hit okay and read the message, "McGee, we have a location on Herrera," he said and slammed on the brakes.

"What, where?" McGee demanded.

"He's in Clay's house," Gibbs responded stepping on the gas as he hit the speed dial for Tony.

"DiNozzo, update," Gibbs barked.

He nodded along as Tony told him about the others in the house across from Feller's. Gibbs then told Tony where Herrera was. He heard Tony curse and Ziva slammed her palm against the dashboard.

"We're on our way, we'll park outside the house across from Feller's McGee and I will secure that area, you pull up in front of Feller's then. As soon as we secure the adjacent house we'll assist with Feller's." Gibbs was speeding down the street, narrowly missing oncoming traffic and pedestrians.

………………..

Tony snapped his phone shut, "I knew Gibbs would get him!" Tony said enthusiastically.

Ziva nodded, "They'll all be okay," she sighed as she let herself untense for a moment.

Tony nodded, "We just need to position ourselves in front of Feller's house and wait for Gibbs' signal, and here they are now." Tony watched as Gibbs came flying down the street and immediately stopped in front of the neighbor's house. Tony watched both McGee and Gibbs approach the house, their weapons drawn. Gibbs knocked on the front door while McGee went to the back.

"Looks like we'll take up our new post," Tony started the car and drove so that they were now parked in front of Feller's house. Tony continued to watch the activity across the street while Ziva watched Feller's house, so far no one on the inside had noticed them.

………………………..

"NCIS, open up!" Gibbs shouted as he kicked in the door, he didn't want to give them a chance to call over to Herrera. As expected he was met with a hail of bullets. Gibbs quickly took down the first two men while McGee came from the back taking out three. They walked through the entire house securing the area.

"DiNozzo, we're clear over here, how are things over there, did they find out?" Gibbs asked as soon as Tony answered.

"No, want us to wait for you guys?" Tony asked as he and Ziva loaded their guns.

"Go on, we're on our way," Gibbs informed him as he and McGee made their way out the front door.

Gibbs and McGee ran across the street and ducked on the side of the car pointed away from Feller's house. Tony and Ziva emerged; Ziva and Gibbs took the perimeter of the house while Tony and McGee were to go in the front.

Tony was on one side of the door and McGee on the other, McGee knocked.

"Who's there?" a gruff voice called.

"NCIS!" Tony yelled kicking in the door; McGee shot the man at the door before he could pull his weapon. They heard Ziva and Gibbs coming in through the back.

Three men burst into the living room; one held one of Feller's children, a gun pointed to her head, "Guns down," he ordered, and the little girl was shaking and tears fell from her round eyes.

Tony and McGee dropped their guns and raised their arms. The three men then ushered the agents into the kitchen where the wife and other little girl sat. The other little girl had a black eye; the wife had some more abrasions on her face and bruising.

"It looks like I am in the lead again," A larger man said with a chuckle as he emerged from the hallway, he used the barrel of his gun to stroke the chubby cheek of the baby boy in his arms.

"Let the family go, you've got us now," Gibbs said between his teeth, he felt the barrel of the gun tap his forehead.

"No, special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, this just makes the game all the more interesting. I will not quit until I get what I want."

"You already know we can't help," Ziva seethed, she jerked her shoulders as one of Herrera's men tied her hands tightly behind her back. The other men did the same with Gibbs, McGee and Tony.

"Take them to the back, I'll deal with them soon, put Jessie back in her chair," Herrera ordered and dropped the baby into the mother's arms; she was barely able to catch him.

The remaining three men led Gibbs, Tony, McGee, and Ziva down the hall to the master bedroom. They shoved all four agents onto the bed. Two of the men stayed behind for guard duty. Gibbs was already calculating his next move; he knew Ziva was thinking along the same lines. They needed to take out the two men quietly.

…………………….

Clay was pacing the lab, his nerves were fried and he wasn't sure how much more he could take. He had received the photo messages showing what had happened to his wife and daughter when Herrera found out Clay didn't take down his e-mail address.

_'Clay, you'll be happy to know that, not only do we have your family, but we now have Gibbs and his crew. It's sickening how the threat of a child's life has four federal agents dropping their guns and becoming putty in my hands.'_

Clay paled and stopped his pacing immediately, Abby noticed and turned to him, her arm still hurt but the bleeding had stopped. "What's wrong Clay?" she asked. She had sent an e-mail to Jason Greene's commanding officer asking for information from the case be sent to her, ASAP.

"Herrera has special agent Gibbs and the others, Herrera said he was going to shoot my children if they didn't give up." Clay couldn't believe the turn of events.

Ducky muttered something under his breath. He had just looked Abby's wound over and he went to the distressed agent, "Look at it this way Clay, Gibbs is on the inside now, as are the rest of his team. He has an advantage now, it may not seem like it, but he will be okay and so will your family. Herrera made a huge mistake by inviting the enemy in."

Clay nodded; he needed to believe what Ducky was telling him. He drug his hand across his face. "It wasn't supposed to get this complicated."

"I'm waiting for a reply from Greene's officer, then I can send whatever he sends me to Herrera," Abby replied. She was standing next to her computer table, her arms hung at her side.

Abby wouldn't let herself worry about Gibbs and the others, she trusted them all with her life. She looked to Ducky and he offered her a sympathetic look. She wasn't sure if she would be handling the situation as coolly as she was now if Ducky wasn't with her. She walked over to the ME and without explanation hugged him and he squeezed her tightly to him rubbing her back.

"We'll be alright Abigail, Jethro would fight the fires or hell for you," he whispered.

"He'd do the same for you to Duck," she said at an attempt to be humorous.

Ducky chuckled, "Abigail, he might, but he doesn't love me like he loves you," he quirked an eyebrow at her.

Abby, in spite of herself, blushed slightly, "But Ducky," she stammered.

He chuckled lightly and squeezed her good arm, "Please Abigail, I can read the two of you like a book, it is clearly evident that you two love each other very much."

Abby smiled and nodded, "Maybe Ducky, maybe," and that was all she would admit to, for the moment.

Ducky only smiled and turned from her and went to sit on the stool. He was very tired, but knew he wasn't going to get any sleep; he had to watch over Abby. They had been in her lab for twelve hours now, Abby's stomach rumbled, she looked to Ducky sadly, and he only shook his head. Abby sighed and leaned back in her chair.

Clay slide down to the floor again, he watched Abby and Ducky. The voice in his ear had been quiet for the past hour and he was going crazy with wanting to know what was going on. He leaned his head against the wall and let his eyes fall shut, but only for a moment as a voice shot through his ear ordering him awake.

Abby watched Clay fall asleep and then startle awake, "We have to figure something out," Abby sighed, "it's the only way we can get out of this mess."

"Abigail, it's not that easy," Ducky sighed, "what can we do from here? Daniel can see and hear us; our every move and plan will be seen and heard."

"Thanks for raining on my parade," Abby said with a frown.

"We're doomed, that's all there is to it, we're not going to get out of this alive," Clay said sadly from his corner. Abby and Ducky turned to look at him. He had his gun drawn; he was looking at it, and then turned his gaze back on Ducky and Abby. Abby was standing slightly in front of Ducky, but Ducky was slowly edging his way closer to Abby.

"Clay, don't, this is what he wants to happen, he wants to break you down," Abby went to take a step towards the agent, but Ducky stopped her.

"So he wins, he's already hurt my family, it's my fault they're in this situation," he was close to breaking down and Abby could sense it.

"It is not your fault, do not blame yourself, you're just trying to save your family. Put the gun away Clay and we'll figure this out." Abby tried again.

"There is no figuring it out, he's got us," he looked up and pointed his gun towards her again. Without a second thought he fired and Abby's scream pierced the static air along with a cry from Ducky.

…………………

**A/N: **Looks like everyone is in a spot of trouble! And, oh no, a little cliffie!! Well if you want to know what happens and how everything works out, leave me a review and I'll update! Let me know how you liked it!!


	3. Desperation

**Disturbing Behavior**

**By: **Raven612

**Chapter 3: **Desperation

**A/N: **Well I didn't get this up on Sunday, and I apologize! I wanted to, but I was so tired, had a hectic week with all sorts of graduations, that I didn't get to work on this story like I wanted to. So here it is now, just a few days late, :D. Please review!!

…………..

The echo of the shot cleared from the small room and all three occupants were staring at the large hole on the wall with bewilderment. A drop of blood from Ducky's cheek, where, luckily, the bullet only grazed as he pushed Abby to the floor, fell and landed on Abby's cheek. She quickly scrambled out from under him and was hunched on her knees.

She pulled Ducky's face into her hands, "Duckman, you're hurt," she said in a whisper.

Ducky nodded, "As I figured would happen dear Abigail, it's not as bad as it could be, I'm afraid if I hadn't acted so quickly we may both be in peril."

Abby then slit her eyes as she scrambled to her feet, she was looking at Clay, "What in the hell was that for Agent Feller?" she snapped.

His hands were shaking, he had cracked, an agent never cracks, but he had and he had almost killed both Abby and Ducky. The bullet would have easily ripped through Abby's abdomen and hit Ducky in his, as Ducky was standing just behind her. He looked from the shaking gun to Abby and Ducky. Ducky was tenderly touching two fingers to his wound. Blood seeped out and over his fingers and dripped to the floor. Clay dropped the gun and fell heavily to the floor and let out a piercing scream.

Abby jumped at the sudden noise and looked at the agent, a brief look of sympathy crossing her face. She then noticed the gun laying a few feet from the broken man. She wastes no time in grabbing it. She expects Clay to react, but he doesn't. _Okay Abby, you have the gun, but now what, Herrera has Gibbs and the others…Gibbs, what's happened to them?_ She thinks, and it seems like she is in a daze, much like Clay at the moment.

"Abigail," Ducky says suddenly, Abby jumps as she comes out of her trance.

"Ducky, are you okay, that looks really bad, and it's bleeding a lot. I have some band aids, will a band aid be okay…" she would've continued but Ducky cut her off.

"Abby!" he says sharply, pulling her from her rant.

"Sorry, are you okay?" she asks once more walking over to him, the gun was heavy in her hand and she isn't sure what she could do with it.

"I'm fine Abigail, but if you have a band aid, I could use one or two."

Abby nods and walks over to a cabinet and pulls out a small band aid box, she opens it and gives two to Ducky, he unwraps them and notices that they are black with skulls on them, he raises his brows at her, "Where on earth did you find these?" he asks.

Abby grins lightly, "Special ordered," she mutters and returns the box.

Ducky nods and uses a computer screen like a mirror so that he can apply the bandages.

"I'm sorry," come a faint voice, both Abby and Ducky look to Feller.

"My dear fellow, neither of us are seriously injured, we could've been, but we're not, this is a very hectic and stressful situation, it's understandable that you would crack. There is a lot of pressure on you. I'm confident that with Gibbs there, on the inside, you and your family shall be very safe." Ducky tried his best to cheer up the agent as much as could be possible, given their situation.

Abby just stood with her arms crossed and looked at Clay. She turned on her heel to type on her computer. No one hurt her friends, no one, and she wasn't about to forgive Clay, just yet.

"This should all be done with by now, we shouldn't be stuck here like this," Clay said as he pushed himself to his feet.

'_Special Agent Clay Feller that was not something you should have done. To shoot at two very important people, it wouldn't look goo—' _the transmission seemed to suddenly get cut off. Clay's eyes grew wide as he wondered what in the hell was happening on the other side of the line.

"What is it Clay?" Ducky asked noticing the look on the young agents face.

"Something is happening, Herrera was cut off…" Clay answered still looking bewildered.

Abby spun around to face the two, a smile on her face, "That means Gibbs is going to rescue us soon, he's fighting Herrera," For the first time since this whole mess started Abby felt a twinge of hope.

Ducky looked thoughtful for a moment, "Or something else could have interrupted Herrera's speech, we don't know for sure."

Abby's smile turned into a frown, "Thanks for raining on another one of my parades Ducky, remind me to keep an umbrella handy when we talk." She turned back to the computer, she was trying to find a way to hack into whatever video transmission Herrera had in her lab so that she could shut it down, then with that shut down she could figure out a way to get into her office without his noticing and possibly setting off the bombs.

"I can't hear anything anymore, I don't know what happened, I don't know if this is a good sign, or a bad sign," Clay ran a hand over his face; he didn't seem to notice that he was missing his gun.

"We can hope that it is a good sign, but can't be surprised if it turns out to be a bad sign," Ducky answered, he was starting to feel a little dizzy, most likely from the lack of food and beverage. He pulled up Abby's empty stool and sat down.

"It's a good sign," Abby mumbled, she was trying to think positively.

Ducky smiled at her hope and nodded his head slowly, "I'm hoping this whole situation gets resolved quickly, we can only survive so long without liquids."

Abby's back straightened a little when she heard Ducky's admission, "Of course," she said to herself as she went to her lab refrigerator and pulled out two bottles of water. "I forgot I had these, they're leftover from when I tried to give up caffeine, sorry, no food today." She opened one bottle, took a swig and then handed it to Ducky, once Ducky took a drink he gave it to Clay. Clay took a tiny sip; he didn't feel like he should accept more.

"Thank you Abigail," Ducky smiled and set the bottle on the counter, "have we heard back from Jason's commanding officer?"

Abby turned to her computer and began typing, calling up different screens, "Not yet, I don't think he's checked his e-mails yet, but I'm hoping by morning he might." Abby yawned widely, it was nearing midnight and she was growing tired. She rotated her injured arm at the shoulder and winced slightly when pain shot up her neck.

Ducky patted her on her back, "Abby, why not roll out your futon and get some rest?" he suggested.

Abby straightened herself, "No, I'm staying awake, Gibbs and the others are not in this alone, I'm going to do all I can from here to help them out…which right now is not much." She sighed and rested her head on her hands as she watched data flash across her screen; she was trying to find the video stream going to Herrera.

………………

Gibbs was the first to shed himself of the ropes restraining his hands, he quickly untied Ziva and she in turn untied Tony. Tony then untied McGee. They all sat on the bed, keeping their arms behind their back to give the illusion that they were still restrained. Ziva was eyeing the two guards. She shifted and let out an uncomfortable moan. One of the guards fixed his gaze on her.

"I really need to use the bathroom, is there any way you could take me?" she asked, she used one of her most convincing voices.

The guards looked to one another, not too sure what they should do. They grunted back and forth, but both approached her. "Stand up," one of the guards ordered. She smiled, stood with her hands behind her back, Gibbs stood also.

One of the guards noticed and walked around to face him, "Sit down," the Guard spat in his face.

Gibbs smirked, and seemingly at the same time both he and Ziva used the head butt tactic to knock both guards unconscious. They fell to the floor, McGee and Tony stood, both looked surprised.

"Niiiice," Tony commented with a grin.

"We need to get Clay's family out, safely, and we need to get Abby and Ducky secured." Gibbs said pointedly as he moved to the bedroom door and pressed his ear against it to listen for what might be happening in the other room.

The rest of his team hung back, they were all tense and ready to strike when given the signal. Gibbs put his hand on the door handle and turned it, he opened the door a tiny sliver in order to get a visual of the other room. The other guard was leaning against the counter, he looked to be dozing, and the children seated around the table looked like they could fall asleep at any moment. The mother and baby were not in the room. As far as Gibbs knew, no other security was called in. Herrera was sitting at the table, he looked bored, but Gibbs could hear him talking to Clay.

Gibbs turned to address his team, "We've got a good shot if we surprise them, Herrera is sitting with his back to the door, the other guard is against the counter, he seems to be dozing, the mother and baby are not in the room."

They all nodded, they had their guns drawn and muscles tense, Gibbs threw the door open. He rushed to Herrera and flipped him from his chair. Herrera stood immediately and turned to face Gibbs. Gibbs quickly tackled him to the ground, but Herrera took after him. As soon as Gibbs neared Herrera he restrained him immediately and heard a shot when Tony took out the other guard who had drawn his gun. Herrera struggled, Ziva and McGee were busy getting the two little girls to safety so that they could no longer be used as human shields, a sudden shot had the agents freezing. They all turned to see Gibbs holding his side, blood was rushing between his fingers and Herrera had a gun pointed to him. Ziva, McGee, and Tony all had their guns pointed to Herrera.

"Shoot him damnit!" Gibbs shouted as he staggered to his feet.

"McGee, call an ambulance," Tony ordered sharply.

McGee nodded, lowered his gun slightly as he pulled out his phone and quickly called in an ambulance.

"Put the gun down Herrera," Ziva said coldly.

Herrera chuckled and dropped his gun, pulled out his cell phone, "Don't I get to make a phone call?" he smiled, hit a button and dropped his phone also.

Tony looked at him oddly before jumping into action and handcuffing him. Told you, you couldn't win Herrera, looks like we got you this time."

"Did you Special Agent DiNozzo, did you really win?" Herrera asked in a condescending tone.

"By my count we did, all your guards are incapacitated and you're in handcuffs, yeah, I think we won."

Gibbs holstered his gun and looked to the bullet wound in his side, it hurt like hell, but he was relieved that they had come out on top. No one was seriously injured; Gibbs figured he couldn't get out of going to the hospital so he resigned himself to accept the ride in the ambulance. He would not spend the night; tonight he'd spend it with Abby, if she were up to it.

Gibbs was called out of his thoughts when Herrera began to speak again, "Your counting leaves something to be desired, because I think I won."

"Shut-up," Ziva snapped, she was silenced when Gibbs' cell phone began to ring.

"Gibbs," he bellowed, Jenny Shepard's voice was harsh in his ear. He paled when he heard what she was saying. His phone fell from his grasp and he walked past his agents and Herrera, who was now chuckling to himself.

Tony pushed the drug lord into McGee's arms and went after his boss, Ziva and McGee looked to Herrera, "It would seem that Special Agent Gibbs has just found out who the real winner in this game was."

"What does that mean?" McGee asked.

"Simply; I won."

Ziva shook her head and went after Tony and Gibbs.

"Boss, what is it?" Tony asked, Gibbs had stopped half way to the front door and was bent over holding his side.

"Gibbs, you need to sit down, the ambulance will be here soon," Ziva said and tried to steer him to a couch.

"No, we need to get back to NCIS," he snapped and shoved her hands away from him, he took a deep breath and threw open the door, and was face to face with a paramedic who immediately helped him down the stairs and tried to get him on a stretcher. Gibbs tried to dodge the man, but soon grew frustrated, "Let go of me, DiNozzo, get over here, you're driving, Ziva make sure Herrera get's his sorry ass to jail."

"What's going on?" Ziva asked Tony, who was already on his way to his boss.

"Don't know, call you when I know," Tony called over his shoulder as he grabbed the keys from Gibbs' hands.

Ziva was perplexed and was worried that something might have happened to Ducky or Abby. She went back to the kitchen and ripped Herrera from McGee's hands and shoved him out to the living room and out to the other car left behind. "Get in," she snapped and shoved him in the backseat.

McGee checked on the wife and children, and the wife called her sister to come over and pick them up so that she and the kids could stay with her. McGee told Ziva he'd stay behind until more agents could arrive and take care of the bodies and the guards who are still alive. McGee picked up Gibbs' dropped cell phone and checked who had called him last, it was the Director. McGee was wondering what she had wanted. McGee was about to call her back when arriving officers interrupted him. He briefed them on the situation, but was interrupted when his cell rang, it was Ziva. He excused himself and answered it.

"McGee, get back here now," was all she said before hanging up, but he had heard the distress in her voice, and he knew something had happened.

…………….

Just as Abby was on to something a fiery explosion rocked her lab and blew debris and fire everywhere. She was blown from her chair, as was Ducky. Their impromptu flight was abruptly stopped by the wall behind them. All three people quickly buried their heads under their arms and tried to lay as flat as possible in order to avoid the flying glass and debris. Abby was lying near Ducky and Clay was a few feet from them. Abby and Ducky were knocked unconscious when hit with the table holding her three computers that had flipped over and dumped its contents and it's self on top of them. Shards of glass embedded themselves into the scalps of Ducky and Abby; a metal leg that was a part of the table had become lodged in Abby's thigh and a large shard of glass was embedded deep into Ducky's lower back. Pieces of wall and various other instruments dismantled around Abby's lab had buried all three persons and various chemicals were mixing together, forming a poisonous gaseous cloud. Their outcome wasn't looking good.

……………

Gibbs had given Tony the news as they drove from Clay's house back to headquarters and Tony wasted no time in putting the pedal to the metal, when they pulled up flashing lights and ambulances greeted them. Personnel and other agents were clustered around the entrance to the building. Tony cursed and slammed the car into park and got out, he went to Gibbs' side and offered to help him, and Gibbs refused, sucked in a deep breath and got out himself. He and Tony made their way to the entrance, only to be stopped by the Director.

"Agents DiNozzo and Gibbs, I'm sorry but I have to refuse you entrance, the chemicals in Abby's lab are emitting a gaseous cloud that is poisonous and deadly, we can't go in until the biohazard team gives us the clear…" she trailed there noticing the labored breathes of Gibbs and then noticed the wound to his side. "Jethro," she hissed.

He looked at her with an icy gaze, "I need to see Abby and Ducky," he threatened.

Jenny squeezed his arm, stopping his advance, "Jethro, you need to see a doctor, you can't do anything for them now, unless you want to end up on one of Ducky's tables," she then motioned for a paramedic to come and assist her.

"How long until we get the all clear?" Tony asked between clenched teeth.

"About an hour," the Director admitted in a defeated tone.

"Damnit!" Gibbs spat, "What about Abby and Ducky, they could be breathing in the gas, and they're wounded, you should've gotten them out before sending in the biohazard team…" he was going to continue, but the probing of the young paramedics fingers silenced him with a hiss.

"It looks like the bullet missed you, just grazed you, it left a pretty deep wound, I can treat it here, but I advise going to the hospital within a few hours."

Gibbs figured he wasn't too seriously wounded, he looked at Tony and Jenny defiantly, "I'm staying," he grumbled, he didn't even twitch when the paramedic began to stitch him up.

Jenny turned back to the entrance and waited for the all clear to enter, she had to make sure that Ducky and Abby were okay; she had a bad feeling in her gut, just as Gibbs had in his own gut. Tony had taken to pacing, before realizing he should call Ziva and McGee. Tony dialed Ziva's number and told her what had happened, Ziva then called McGee. McGee arrived before Ziva; she had to drop Herrera off at an alternate location since no one was allowed in NCIS. McGee was jogging up to Tony and Tony met him half way.

"What's going on, how come we can't go in?" McGee asked worriedly.

"Gas from the chemicals in Abby's lab, they're keeping everyone out until they know it's safe to enter."

McGee nodded solemnly, "And what about Abby and Ducky, how are they?"

Tony shook his head angrily, "They haven't said yet."

Ziva came screaming into the parking lot and ran up to Gibbs and the rest of her team, "What is going on?" she demanded.

Tony took a deep breath and was about to answer her when a man in a blue biohazard suite came out of the building.

"Director Shepard?" he asked going up to Jenny.

"Yes," she said sharply.

"It's all clear to enter, there is no structural damage and the gas has been cleared, we found the victims, so far all I can tell you is that one of the three did not make it."

There was a collective gasp throughout the group, it was Gibbs who sprang into action first and burst through the doors and quickly descended the stairs to Abby's lab. He was greeted with charred instruments, debris everywhere, and a large hole in the wall of Abby's lab blown by the bombs in her office. He saw medics and other men clearing away debris from the far wall of Abby's lab. He was about to go there when two of the medics stopped him.

"We need to clear away the debris before we can get them out, they're all buried, do you have someone that can come collect the body?"

Gibbs stared at the medic, he was about to say something, but Tony and the rest of his team interrupted him, "Boss, how is she?" Tony asked trying to get around Gibbs and the medic.

"Please, wait by the door, we'll get you when we've cleared most of the debris away," the medic knew he wasn't going to get rid of the agents so he ushered them to the door.

"We can help clear away the debris," Ziva said and she looked to both Tony and McGee.

"Well I don't know about McFlabby, but I want to do anything that can help," Tony said and the medic sighed and stepped aside letting the three able bodied agents pass.

Gibbs went along too, he knew he shouldn't, but he didn't care. As he and his team neared the team already working to clear debris, and saw Abby, unconscious with a metal rod protruding from her leg and blood running down her forehead, he could see the glass embedded in her scalp and some along her arms and a large shard in her abdomen. Ducky was next to her, and was lying on his stomach. A large shard of glass was protruding sickly from his lower back and the skin on his cheek was hanging almost like a flap. Blood was trickling from various wounds to his scalp and arms. It seems that the glass had done more damage than the other debris. Clay was a few feet away, he didn't look to be too seriously hurt, and that's when Gibbs began to panic. Two people had informed him that one of the three were dead, but which one was it?

**A/N: **And this is where I leave you all, wonder who it is that died, not too sure, gotta stick around to find out! Review and let me know what you thought!!


	4. The Fallen

**Disturbing Behavior**

**By: **Raven612

**Chapter 4: **The Fallen

**A/N: **Once again, so sorry that this took so long, it's been a little crazy around here! I've been sucked into some really good books and took a mini vacation! But like I promised in my last chapter of Road Trip, I will work on this chapter, and so here I am writing it! Well enough rambling and on with the story.

……………………….

Gibbs pushed aside the next medic who laid a hand on his shoulder. As the final piece of debris was moved away a large cloud of dust had everyone coughing. Gibbs took that opportunity to go forward and kneel down next to Abby. She was unconscious, as was Ducky. Blood was already dried on her forehead and cheek. He was just reaching out to smooth away a lock of her hair when medics drug him to his feet.

"We need you out of our way so we can get them out safely." He said in a reassuring tone.

Gibbs stared at the young man and stepped back next to his other agents, his remaining family. He had noted the looks of concern on all their faces; they still hadn't learned which of the three had passed. Soon four other medics rushed in with two stretchers. Gibbs was pushed aside as another stretcher was pushed in. It seemed they had wanted to keep the agents guessing, as they loaded all three people on a stretcher. As Abby and Ducky were being wheeled past all three agents watched them, and as soon as the last medic pushing Ducky's stretcher was past they filed after and followed their friends outside to the ambulances they were being loaded into.

"Gibbs," came a soft voice as Jen's firm hand grabbed his shoulder.

He groaned and spun on his heel to face her, "What?" he snapped, he hadn't meant to, but his temper was being tested and he was at his wits end.

"Are you okay?" she asked, crossed her arms and studied him.

"I'm fine, I'd be better if none of this happened and Ducky and Abby were safe and sound as they should be. No one on my team should ever be injured, in the field sometimes it can't be helped, but Abby does not deserve what she had been put through the last thirteen hours." He didn't wait to see what she had to say as he jumped into the ambulance holding Abby.

Jen sighed and shook her head and turned to the other agents, "Meet you there," she then hurried into the ambulance holding Ducky. The medics closed the doors to each ambulance and quickly hooked IVs to both Abby and Ducky.

There was no arguing when Ziva grabbed the keys from Tony's hands, they all got into the car and in silence Ziva got them to the hospital right behind the ambulances. She parked as close as she could to the doors, but they still had a ways to walk.

……………….

As Abby and Ducky were being unloaded Jen and Gibbs met in the awning above the ambulance drop off area.

"How is she?"

"How is he?" They both asked each other at the same time.

"She's stable, more than likely she'll have a broken leg, they have to run some tests on her lungs though, to see if breathing in any of the gas in the lab had damaged them at all or if there could be any damage in the future." Gibbs finished and looked at Jen expectantly as they strode into the building and followed the medics pushing Abby and Ducky down the hall.

"They said the same thing about testing Ducky's lungs from the gases he might have breathed in also, they're concerned that he may suffer from slight paralysis because of the glass embedded in his back. They were optimistic that it might not have hit anything to cause paralysis." Jen said grimly as they rushed through the doors to ICU.

Gibbs sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "I need coffee," he said as he resigned himself to play the waiting game.

Jen nodded and took a seat waiting for the other members of Gibbs' team. She looked up quickly when she heard the doors open, but it was only Gibbs returning with a dissatisfying cup of hospital coffee.

"Did you see the others?" she asked as he took a seat next to her.

"Right beh-" he was cut off when they came through the doors.

"How are they, boss?" Tony asked walking over to stand near Gibbs and Jen.

Gibbs sighed, "They're doing alright as of now, but they have to run some tests on them before we know for sure what's going on with them. It was Clay who passed away, wasn't it?" he asked and cast his eyes down.

Ziva looked between Gibbs and Tony before answering, "They managed to revive him for a few minutes but he crashed again when they got him here, it seems that a shard of glass was embedded in his neck. He has passed away."

Gibbs nodded solemnly and gripped his cup a little tighter, Jenny was always attuned to Gibbs and noticed his tense posture immediately and rested a calming hand on his. Gibbs sighed and leaned back and rested his head on the wall behind his chair.

"The wife is to come by and identify his body," McGee added, he felt like he needed to say something.

"Poor kids, to go through all of that and then your father die," Ziva commented off handedly as she took a seat opposite Gibbs and Jenny. McGee took a seat next to Gibbs and Tony sat next to Ziva and took her hand in his, in a comforting manner. She didn't protest, just let him hold it and stroke light patterns over her skin. She knew he needed her strength because just like everyone else on the team he loved Abby and Ducky more than he'd ever admit.

Gibbs noticed Tony and Ziva's obvious PDA, but ignored it; he figured it was because of the situation they were all in at the moment. His thoughts soon found themselves getting wrapped around his true feelings for Abby. He loved her, and he knew that, but he wasn't sure if he should tell her. This situation showed him how close he could come to losing her. She was never supposed to be in danger that was why she was his lab rat, free from danger. He ran a hand through his hair and rose to throw away his empty coffee cup. They had been sitting in the waiting area for a little over an hour. Tony had fallen into a light doze and his head was resting on Ziva's shoulder. She was still awake and staring at the clock. McGee was tapping his foot and fidgeting with his hands. He was worried about Abby and Ducky, but something told him they would be fine. Jenny was watching Gibbs pace, he had taken up pacing fifteen minute prior and she had nothing else to amuse herself with.

Just as Gibbs was about to sit down a doctor came from the other set of door which lead to the patients rooms. "I'm assuming this is the party waiting on Abby Scuito and Dr. Donald Mallard?"

Jenny and Gibbs both answered with a yes as they walked up to the doctor.

The doctor nodded and cleared his throat, "Right, well they're doing fine, the tests we ran on their lungs will be in tomorrow afternoon. They're sleeping right now and should wake up in the morning. One thing that we're concerned about it paralysis with the Dr., the glass that was in his lower back nicked a nerve. He won't be able to walk at first, but if he is willing to go through physical therapy he should be able to walk again in a few months. Abigail, on the other hand will have to use a wheelchair until her thigh heals up, which should be about six to nine weeks, depending on her healing progress. She'll have a nasty scar on her arm where she was hit with the bullet and a scar on her forehead where she was cut with some glass." The doctor then took a breath and waited for any questions they might have.

"Paralyzed?" Jenny muttered sadly.

The doctor nodded, "It's not permanent, physical therapy should help and I'd advise him to stay away from work until he is completely healed, but right now we're not sure when that will be."

Gibbs nodded, "Can we see them?"

"I'll allow you two to see them, tomorrow more visitors will be allowed." With that the doctor turned and met the latest ambulance arrival.

Gibbs turned to his agents, who had all crowded around to listen to the doctor. They all took a step back.

"I can't believe he won't be able to walk," Ziva murmured as she fell into a chair looking dazed.

"He'll be able to handle it," Tony said trying to reassure himself as well as the others.

"He's tough, and he's a fighter, he'll make it." Gibbs said sternly. "I want you all to go home and get some rest; it has been a trying day and tomorrow I want you all alert and rested when you see Ducky and Abby." He added his stare to get his point across.

McGee and Tony both looked like they were about to say something but thought better of it. They gathered their things and walked from the waiting area. Ziva glanced over her shoulder one last time before exiting the small waiting room. Gibbs turned to Jenny and they walked through the doors together. Jenny stopped at the nurse's station and got Abby and Ducky's room numbers. Abby was in 112 and Ducky was in the room next to her 114, Jenny and Gibbs nodded as they went to the rooms.

………….

Abby looked almost peaceful, minus the fact that her right leg was in a large white cast and in a sling and a large bandage was wrapped around her head. She had an IV line hooked to her arm and a heart monitor. She had color in her cheeks and looked like she was sleeping peacefully. Gibbs pulled up a chair and took her hand into his own. He absently began to stroke it while he thought of all the things he wanted to say.

"Hey Abs," he whispered lightly and kissed her hand. "We were all worried about you and Ducky, we're glad you've all made it out all right," he took a breath there because that wasn't all true. "Actually, Clay didn't make it, but his family is fine and Herrera is locked away. I wish I would've killed the bastard when I had the chance, but he will get what he deserves." Gibbs sighed and leaned forwards and placed his hand along with Abby's on the bed next to her waist. "I just don't know what I would've done if I lost you, I thought I had nothing to live for after Shannon and Kelly, but then you waltzed into NCIS fresh off the college campus. I didn't take you seriously at first, and now I could kick myself for ever thinking that way. After I got to know you, I found something I could live for and you showed me that I had a new family, my team." He rose and brushed her bangs from her face and kissed her forehead just below the bandage. "I'll be right back, but I need to see Ducky now, I'll send Jen over to keep you company."

Gibbs then exited Abby's room and entered Ducky's and heard the last few words Jenny whispered to him before she brushed his hair from his face and turned to face Gibbs. "He looks like he's fine, the doctor was just in here and gave him some pain meds, and then the doctor was going to Abby next." She rose then and crossed to Gibbs, they met with a stare that spoke volumes, and she simply nodded and went to Abby's room.

Gibbs took a seat in Jenny's vacated chair and looked at Ducky, Gibbs grinned slightly, Ducky looked different without his glasses and normal ME outfit. "Hey Ducky, I bet you'll get quite the scare when you wake up in the morning. They said your legs won't be working for a while. Nothing some physical therapy can't help, though, they're optimistic that you will regain use of your legs." Gibbs gripped the older man's forearm in a reassuring manner before saying his goodbyes and going back into Abby's room.

Jenny met him at the door, tears were evident in her eyes, "I'm just glad they're okay," she whispered lightly as she went back to Ducky's room to spend the night. Gibbs nodded with her words and went to take his post next to Abby's bed.

He took her hand in his; it was almost like he needed to hold onto her to make sure she was still here and that she would always be here with him. He smiled as she thought back to some of his happiest memories with her. One of his favorites was the time she spent at his house when her ex was stalking her. She looked like she belonged in his clothes and in his home, hell he knew she belonged in his heart. She had already made a permanent home there, and he wasn't close to kicking her out or allowing her to leave. He kissed her forehead one last time, just as the sun was rising and stroked her hand before his eyes fell shut lightly.

……….

**A/N: **Sorry that this is so short, but I had to give ya'll something! The next chapter will be longer and better, I'm just about ready to conk out right now and this is all my groggy mind would come up with. I think it's pretty good, lol, anyways, tell me what you think and leave me a sweet little review!!!!


	5. Nightmares

**Disturbing Behavior**

**By: **Raven612

**Chapter 5: **Nightmares

**A/N: **Sorry I'm updating this one before Road Trip, but I promised a longer chapter soon! So here it is chapter five! Also, I'm going to get a little interactive with this story, I want you, the readers, to tell me how you want Gibbs to confess his love and when. I shall pick the idea I like the best and I'll write it into my story when it is time for it! Here goes!! Sorry this is taking so long for me to write, but I had a major case of writer's block and then I bought Sims 3 and a bunch of books and then I moved so I was kind of busy, but now I'm set to roll and so I pinky promise you all that Road Trip will also be updated by tomorrow!!! Hopefully you still love me and my story :D

……………………….

All Abby could see was darkness. She couldn't even see the hand she was holding just inches from her face. She was vaguely aware that she wasn't alone; wherever she was.

"Hello?" She called out, her voice sounded like a whisper, even to her own ears.

No answer.

"Is anyone else out there?" She tried to make her voice louder this time.

A high pitched laugh came from right in front of her and caused her to jump.

……………..

Gibbs woke suddenly when he felt Abby's hand move in his. He looked at her and her forehead was covered in sweat. She was mumbling something and her whole body started to quiver.

"Abby?" He leaned down to her and shook her shoulders lightly, trying to gently wake her. "Abby." He said a bit more loudly this time.

Abby gave a loud gasp before her eyes snapped open. It took her a moment to focus and another couple seconds for her to remember what had happened, she turned to Gibbs. "Where are Ducky and Clay?"

"Ducky is next door, and Clay didn't make it." Gibbs looked sympathetic at the last remark and Abby turned to look away.

"How is Ducky?" She asked when she turned her head back towards Gibbs, she didn't seem to notice that he still held her hand, and was stroking it softly.

"Ducky will be okay, he won't be able to walk for a while, but he'll be fine, just like you will be fine," Gibbs reassured her and bent to kiss her softly on her forehead.

"What? Why won't he be able to walk?" Abby seemed unaware of the large cast on her thigh and the sling holding her leg as she tried to get out of bed. She flopped on the bed with a sigh and re-adjusted herself so she was sitting up as much as possible.

Gibbs was standing, waiting to see what he could do to help her. "You alright Abs?"

She nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat, "How are the kids?"

Gibbs would've chuckled slightly at this statement, but he knew who she was referring to. "The girls have some minor cuts and bruises as well as the mother, but they should all be fine within a few days."

Abby shook her head and looked at her hand, intently studying the IV. "No Gibbs, they won't be fine in a few days, their hero, their father was killed. They had to endure a nightmare for him and he died. That's a wound that will never heal." She looked back up at him with traces of tears on her cheeks.

Gibbs quickly, and gently, wrapped her in a hug and kissed the top of her head. "I know Abby, but that was something we couldn't stop or control, he died trying to save his family."

Abby nodded against his chest, she pushed away lightly so she could look at him. "How is everyone else?" She asked wiping away her tears and trying to wear a smile.

"They're doing some paperwork right now, but they'll be here in a few hours, I'm going to get the doctor, I'll be right back." He kissed her cheek before turning and walking from the room.

Abby sighed and leaned back into her pillows. She closed her eyes for a moment as her emotions started to settle, but when she closed her eyes all she could see was the startled look on Clay's face when the bomb went off in her lab. She opened her eyes and looked around her room, a vase of black roses was sitting near the window, she guessed that they were from the team and she smiled faintly.

"Knock, knock," a too perky voice chimed as a blond, voluptuous nurse wheeled a cart into Abby's room.

"Hello," Abby said softly, not too sure how to handle the woman.

"Good morning darl'n, and how are we feeling?" Her blood red lips twisted into a smile and Abby counted two places where her teeth were missing.

"Could be better, a whole lot better," she answered trying to sound as chipper as possible.

The nurse smiled and scooted the cart closer and pulled the lid off of what Abby guessed would be her breakfast. "Tada, and today's main course is a five star breakfast of oatmeal and soggy toast with a side of orange juice in a cute little carton with a nice little comic on the back to remind you to recycle. This rare delicacy was made special for you," the nurse pauses and looks at Abby's charts for her name before continuing, "Abigail, by our French chef Pierre."

Abby chuckled lightly, "Do you always say this to your patients?" She wondered as she opened the orange juice and took a drink.

"Forgive me hun; I'm so used to working in pediatrics that I use that lame presentation thing on anyone I'm helping. My names June, you holler if you need anything." She smiled and brushed her blond curls over her shoulder and walked out the door. Abby didn't miss the wink she sent towards Gibbs just as he was entering.

"Ah nurse Thurston, nice to see you looking perky as ever, old man Jones is wondering where you are, says his catheter needs to be checked." The doctor joked with her as he passed her too.

June smiled and sighed, "Somethin under his blankets always needs fussin with when I'm workin in this wing, I'll go check it out."

Gibbs looked at Abby for an explanation, but she only shrugged and smiled.

"Ms. Scuito, how are we feeling this morning?" he asked flipping through her charts, making some marks as he went.

"Could use a better breakfast, I think you might want to hire a new chef, Pierre just doesn't understand a good American breakfast."

The doctor looked up startled, "I beg your pardon?"

Abby chuckled as she stirred around the goop in her bowl, "That Nurse June has a good sense of humor, and you should have her work on this flood more often.

The doctor chuckled, "She does a lot to brighten the faces around here, but back to you, are you in any pain?"

Abby shook her head, "Not much, I don't think the painkillers from the previous night have worn off yet."

The doctor made a note and looked back, this time he wore a mask of seriousness and Abby gulped. Gibbs stepped up to her and took her hand.

"This afternoon we will get the results of the tests we ran on your lungs and see if you will be ready for a room outside the ICU unit, also after studying the x-rays of your thigh; it seems you too will need to participate in some physical therapy. Your muscle was pierced and in order for it to work right again, so that you can walk close to normal without the aid of a cane you will need to build up the strength of the muscle once again. I'm afraid that you won't be able to fully escape without a slight limp."

Abby's face turned solemn as she nodded. Her grip on Gibbs' hand became tighter for a moment and he lightly traced his thumb over her knuckles. She looked at the doctor, "Can I get like a day pass or something to attend a funeral?"

The doctor was a bit surprised at the question and looked from Gibbs to Abby before answering, "Uhm, I suppose that might depend on a number of factors, when is the funeral?"

Abby looked to Gibbs hoping he could answer, Gibbs cleared his throat, "The funeral is a week from today."

The doctor nodded, "I won't make any promises, but there is a chance you could be out of here before then, depending on the results of your test."

Abby gave the doctor a smile before he exited the room. "Gibbs?" she asked quietly, when he looked down at her he saw a small tear slide down her cheek.

"What is it?" he asked as he used his thumb to brush it away.

"Everything that happened to us, all of us, was horrible, but I can't help but feel happy that Ducky and I survived. It's horrible to say it, but I would be completely devastated if Clay would've survived and not Ducky. I'm horrible to think that, huh?" She asked him with a sniffle.

Gibbs sighed and took a seat next to her on the bed and took both of her hands in his own. "You're not a horrible person; don't ever think of yourself that way. I know how you feel, Abby, and it's understandable. You're much closer to Ducky than to Clay and to lose someone so close to you would be much harder to bare than if it were someone you didn't know much."

"But I did know Clay, not as well as you guys or Ducky, but I still knew him and he was a person, an agent. He had a family, three beautiful children he doesn't get to see grow up, two daughters that will never have a father to protect them from the boys at school, a son that will have be a man well before his time, a wife that loves him completely and won't get to snuggle up to him and feel safe at night. A family that went through hell and worse and now their father won't be there to make them feel better. Gibbs, it's my fault his kids won't have a father." She stopped there as a sob shook her.

"It was not your fault Abby," he said to her sternly and squeezed her hands for emphasis, "you couldn't control the outcome any better than we could've. Who's to say that Herrera wasn't planning to blow up your lab one way or the other. Nothing any one of you three had done caused any of you to be at fault. Everything that had happened and all the outcomes rest on Herrera's shoulders, not yours, not now and not ever. Sure we all would've liked a better outcome, and maybe if we weren't dealing with a highly skilled and intelligent terrorist, then maybe nothing would've happened to you guys. If anyone should take fault, it's me. I didn't follow a damn order he sent to us, and I didn't intend to."

Abby managed to look a little more hopeful, "Thanks Gibbs, you always know what to say."

Gibbs smiled at her and brushed her bangs from her forehead before kissing it, "You're welcome."

"Could you please go see Ducky for me, I don't want him to be lonely," Abby gave him her best puppy dog face for extra emphasis.

Gibbs gave her a look, but he knew he should go check on Ducky; honestly he wasn't sure if he was ready to face the ME knowing that he is paralyzed. "Okay," he conceded in their little stare down, and Abby smiled.

"Go; let him know I'm okay and that we'll be therapy buddies."

Gibbs cringed at the last part, but smiled anyways as he walked over to the room next to Abby's.

Abby settled back into her pillows and winced when a shot of pain raced through her skull, she guessed it was probably from being hit in the head with a computer. She held her arms out to study the cuts and bruises, along with numerous lumps on them, she winced though when her arm with the slight bullet wound seared with an angry pain. She let her arms flop uselessly back to her sides and she looked at her milky white cast stretching from the top of her thigh all the way down to her ankle. She hoped to get her hands on a black marker soon so she could decorate it. She turned to gaze out her window as her mind raced back to being held captive in her lab with Ducky and Clay. Fresh hot tears sprang immediately to her eyes and she used the back of her hand to wipe them away. "I'm sorry," she whispered to no one in general.

……………….

Gibbs knocked softly of Ducky's door before entering. The ME looked up, a bit startled to have a visitor, "Ah Jethro, do come in, I'm sure you already know of my dreary outcome."

Gibbs nodded as he pulled a chair up to Ducky's bed. "How ya doing besides that?"

"Alright, considering the circumstances, however, I'm worried about the autopsy room and what Mr. Palmer might do to it." Ducky cringed slightly and Gibbs chuckled.

"He's capable of running it until your return," Gibbs said trying to reassure the older man.

Ducky nodded and used his hands to lift his useless lower half further up the bed so that he could be sitting upright more, he looked to Gibbs with a serious expression, "How is Abigail, I heard she had fared much better than I."

Gibbs ran a hand down his face, and just down the hall he could hear the distinct sound of his team approaching with Tony leading the way. "She's doing good, wants me to inform you that you two will be physical therapy buddies; the muscle in her thigh was pierced with some metal and so she'll need the therapy to build up the muscle so she can walk normally and without a crutch. She has a minor concussion, cuts, and bruises."

Ducky nodded along, he had many of the same ailments and so he understood how she was doing.

Just as Ducky was about the respond to Gibbs, Tony stuck his head in the door and flashed his smile, "I hear visiting hours have resumed for the under privileged." He then stepped into the room and went to Ducky's bedside.

"Good morning Anthony," Ducky greeted in his usual manner.

"Mornin Duck, how are you feeling?" he asked the same generic question everyone would be asking for the next couple of days.

"Can't feel my legs, but that will come to pass in a few weeks time, how is Clay?"

Both Tony and Gibbs looked to one another for a moment, before either one could speak Ducky made a sound of understanding.

"So he didn't make it, how unfortunate, that poor family. When is his funeral?"

"Week from today," Gibbs answered, he looked up when Ziva entered the room, her face was a mixture of sullen and angry, she had to see Herrera this morning to get a written statement before he was hauled off to a maximum security prison.

"We will all be attending," she said coldly and walked to Ducky's bedside.

"It is a good idea Ziva, I hope to be able to join you, for Clay was a brave agent and I wish to pay my respects to the young man and his family. How is his family doing?"

"The sister brought them all in last night to be treated; they're staying for observations and then getting set up with counselors." Gibbs said before Tony could.

"Good, good, it's dreadful what has happened to them, but I'm sure they will survive, they seemed to all be very strong." Even as Ducky said this he wasn't so sure he believed it himself.

"It won't be a pie walk," Ziva said under her breath, she did have the best of intentions, but had gotten the word wrong.

"Cake walk, Ziva, its cake walk, not pie," Tony said correcting her, it but he was a bit kinder, considering the situation they were in.

She just looked at him in a confused manner. "I do not get these American idioms," she said shaking her head and Ducky lightly chuckled at her.

Gibbs looked around and only just then seemed to notice that everyone was congregated in Ducky's room, except for McGee, he gave Ducky's hand one last squeeze, "I better go save Abby from McGee, I'll come back a little later."

"Tell young Abigail I'm fine and that I look forward to our physical therapy."

Gibbs smiled and nodded as he exited Ducky's room. The door to Abby's room was ajar and he could hear McGee and Abby talking quietly.

"McGee, that's sweet, thank you," Gibbs heard Abby say as she hugged McGee.

"What's sweet?" he asked raising a brow as he looked at McGee.

"He rescued Burt, Gibbs can you believe they were going to throw him away?! But McGee convinced them to decontaminate him and wash him all up so that he was safe and able to come see me. Oh Burt I'm so glad your okay," she said happily and squeezed the hippo tightly to her chest. It let out a pathetic sounding fart and Abby blushed, "I guess he may have suffered slightly in the blast." She grew serious then and looked at McGee, since she knew he had been at NCIS. "How bad is it McGee, when will my lab be put back together?"

McGee cleared his throat, clearly not wanting to answer the question, but the look from Gibbs had him fumbling out his answer, "Well it's not that simple Abs, they can't just put it back together like some sort of puzzle, it's going to take months of work and repairing to get at least halfway functional. After the chemicals are safely cleaned up and debris hauled away can they start repairs. The electrical could take weeks, even months before anything is ready to be put back into the lab. And it'll take a while before it starts to feel like it used to, but I'm pretty sure it'll never be the same as it once was."

Abby nodded sadly and hugged Burt to her chest "Thanks for being honest Timmy."

McGee smiled and nodded as he grasped her hand and bent to give her a kiss on the cheek, "I'll always be honest with you Abby."

Gibbs felt the green monster flair just beneath his skin as he witnessed the intimate display between Abby and McGee, he cleared his throat hoping to get McGee out of the room, but Tony chose that instant to enter.

"Whoa, hope I'm not interrupting something," he joked shoving McGee out of the way as he took up his spot next to her bed.

Abby managed a slight chuckle, "Oh Tony, it's good to see you, you always make me feel better," Gibbs felt a pang in his chest when she admitted that to him.

"I should always make you feel better Abs; you're my number one fan and I love you and will always do whatever it takes to make you feel better," he confessed with a smile and kissed her forehead.

Abby smiled brightly, "Awe, Tony I love you too, but McGee looks a little jealous, why don't you tell him you love him too?"

McGee held up his hands, "I am not jealous, you can keep all the Tony love, I don't need or want any."

"Come on probie, wouldn't it make you feel better?" Tony joked.

"No Tony, it would not."

"I love you probster," Tony said with a smile and ruffled McGee's hair.

"Tony," McGee warned as he straightened out his hair.

"Boys, get along now, there's a lady present," Abby said with a smile.

"I'm going to see Ducky," McGee commented and left the room.

"See ya later probie-pants," Tony called, and his face fell as soon as he noticed Gibbs in the room, "boss, uh, didn't see ya there." He then took a step away from Abby's bedside, and she made a small noise of protest.

"Don't mind me DiNozzo, please continue," Gibbs said in a monotone which made Tony question how me meant it, but knowing his boss he guessed it was a smartass comment and so Tony straightened his tie.

"I'm done boss," he said with a cough.

Abby looked at Gibbs with a frown, but her face soon turned neutral, "How's Ducky?" she asked hoping one of them would answer.

"He's doing good, doesn't seem to be put out by the whole paralysis thing, says it might be a helpful trait or tool in the future," Tony said in an off-hand manner and sank into a chair next to Abby's bed.

Gibbs looked between Abby and Tony and decided to excuse himself to get a cup of coffee. As he walked down the hall he couldn't keep his mind from questioning Abby and Tony's relationship with one another. Gibbs' jealousy monster flared up once more and he punched the button for coffee on the vending machine. He knew he wouldn't inquire about it until it reached a level in which he felt he would need to step in, for now it seemed as if they were just friends, very close friends. Gibbs sipped his horrid coffee as he walked back to Abby's room. He was surprised to find it empty when he entered.

"I sent Tony to visit with Ducky, he said he was already in to see him, but he went anyways." She turned to look at Gibbs with a slow, sad smile.

"What's wrong Abs?" he asked sensing her fragile state.

She sighed and turned her head to the ceiling, "I just wanted to be alone for a while."

"I'll-"

Gibbs was cut off when Abby turned to him with her eyes wide, "Gibbs could you stay with me and hold my hand? I'm getting tired, but every time I close my eyes a nightmare starts."

Gibbs nodded his understanding and put his coffee cup on the floor as he scooted closer to her bedside and grasped her hand. He pulled it to his lips and kissed it. "I'll be right here," he promised her.

"Good, I wouldn't want anyone but yooooouuuu," the word you dragged out as her eye lids slid closed and she was entering into a light sleep. It was barely noon and Gibbs felt himself beginning to drift off as well.

…………….

**A/N: ** So how'd you all like this chapter? I hope I did a sufficient enough job for ya! Also remember my challenge from the top of the page! I look forward to your reviews and suggestions! Thanks for reading and bearing with me! I soooooo promise to update this and Road Trip way more often, and as I promised Road Trip will be updated tomorrow night!!


	6. Author's Note

**Authors Note**

Hi all! I just thought I'd type this up for all of you who are keeping track of and reading the stories I am currently working on. I just wanted to inform you all that I'm going to be getting back on track with these stories, and you can expect updates within the next couple days. I had a lot going on here on my end, my grandpa passed away recently so I've been dealing with that and supporting my family and so on and so forth. So now everything is kind of winding down so now I plan to update these stories within the next week.

Disturbing Behavior

Road Trip

Heartbeat

Thanks for sticking with me, I promise to redeem myself ^_^ lol also I need to catch up really bad on the stories I'm reading!!


	7. New Day, New Obstacles

**Disturbing Behavior**

**By: **Raven612

**Chapter 6: **New Day, New Obstacles

**A/N: **And here it is ladies and gentlemen!! The chapter you've all been waiting anxiously for! So now, please read and I would soooo love for anyone that reads it to drop me a sweet little review, they are what I look forward to the most, aside from an actual Gabby relationship on the TV show, but hey I can dream.

……………………………..

The first day in the hospital had passed by in a blur for both Abby and Ducky. They both went through explanations on their physical therapy, what they can and cannot do once they leave the hospital, (Gibbs and the team are to make sure they stick to their can do's and can't do's) and the results from the tests run on their lungs. The results had shown what the doctors had expected; both Ducky and Abby had inhaled some poisonous fumes. That result had given them an extra two days in the hospital to complete lung exercises and to make sure they get a good intake of pure oxygen three times a day.

Abby was just finishing her morning breathing exercises when Gibbs softly knocked on her door. She and her nurse looked up, and both gave him a welcoming smile. "Hey Gibbs, ho-"

Abby was about to ask him how he was doing, but June cut her off, "Now Abigail, you know there is no talking while you wear the mask, just deep breathes in and deep breathes out," June patted Abby's hand as if to make some sort of point, Abby just rolled her eyes and continued her breathing once she noticed the stare from Gibbs.

"She actually lets you call her Abigail?" Gibbs asked with a raised brow as he went to stand next to June.

June chuckled and her large bosom bounced along with her laughter, "She knows I only get formal with her name when I have a point to make or when I want her to listen, you know she is one of the chattiest patients I have ever had, and she is also my favorite. She's got a fire." June then winked down at Abby, Abby merely shook her head.

_Gibbs, how is everything, is he being sent away?_ If Abby couldn't use her mouth to talk to Gibbs, she'd just use her hands.

_He has to go to trial first before anything is decided; if I had any say in the matter I'd kill him right now._

_I know Gibbs, and I might be a bit more comfortable knowing he was dead, but it's not up to us right now._

_He doesn't deserve anything he gets._

_Gibbs, there's no way he could walk, no way at all, by the way, who is processing the evidence?_

Gibbs sighed, she was always thinking about evidence and worried it would get screwed up, _Don't worry Abby, it's getting processed by capable hands, one of our lab techs is using metro's lab._

Abby cringed at the thought of the mediocre lab; well almost any lab was mediocre compared to hers, in her mind at least. _They better know what they're doing._

"Oh enough with the flying hands, if you wanna talk you can do it now, you're therapy for the morning is over." June said as she turned off the oxygen machine and gently took the mask from Abby's face.

Abby smiled at her, "Thank you June, it was a pleasure."

June smiled a knowing smile, "Abigail, how many times have I told you, sarcasm does not fly with me pumkin."

Abby smiled at the nurse, "I know, but I gotta test the waters every now and then, I don't want to lose my ability with it."

June chuckled as she wrapped the plastic tube around the oxygen tank so that she could wheel it out of the room, "Well you kids behave yourselves, I'll be back soon to check on ya, gotta see how my other patient is doing." As she walked out of the room she turned her head and gave a wink to Abby and Gibbs.

Gibbs watched her leave before turning to Abby, "She would annoy me."

Abby swatted his arm, "Gibbs!"

He looked down at her with a smile, and she smiled back at him sensing he was only joking with his earlier comment. "You doing alright, are you in any pain?"

Abby shook her head, "They keep me pretty well drugged up, can't feel a thing, but it is hard to sleep with my leg up in the sling 24/7." She frowned as she recollected this information to Gibbs.

Gibbs nodded his understanding, "Well you and Duck should be out of here soon," he didn't want to add that they may not be out in time for Clay's funeral; it was less than a week away.

Abby looked sad a moment, she began to wring her hands, "Gibbs," she ventured in a quiet voice.

He looked at her quizzically, "Hmm?"

"I miss Ducky; I haven't seen or talked to him in two days, two days Gibbs! I'm dying here, I need to see him, need to see that he's okay. I have to see with my own eyes."

Gibbs sighed, "Abby, I would love to take you to see him, but you're confined to your bed until your oxygen exercises are complete, you heard what the doctor said the other day if you over exerted yourself with the weak state your lungs are in."

Abby fixed him with a look, "Gibbs, you make it sound as if I'm dying and that my lungs will disintegrate at any moment, but you know and I know that they're just fine. Ducky and I didn't inhale enough fumes to make it _so_ hazardous to our heath. You just got over protective of us and that's why we have to have treatment three times a day rather than one."

Gibbs then fixed her with his own stare, "There is no argument, and you are both to stay in bed until the doctor gives his okay." As he finished his sentence Gibbs bent and gave her a good-bye kiss on her forehead.

"Don't you mean until you give the doctor the okay to tell us okay?" she called after him as he left her room; he merely chuckled and shook his head without looking back at her.

Gibbs continued his chuckling as he entered Ducky's room, "Morning Duck," he greeted as he pulled up a chair next to Ducky's bedside.

Ducky had already completed his breathing exercise for the morning as was propped up in his bed with some pillows, that after noon some specialists were coming to see him and get him started with his physical therapy. "Ah, good morning Jethro, I heard Abigail yelling at you as you walked in so I trust that she is doing alright."

Gibbs smiled and nodded, "She's her usual self, but I'm still worried about her Duck."

Ducky smiled his always knowing smile, "I know you are Jethro, I think everyone is. Abigail doesn't seem like it and she would surely never admit it, but she is a rather fragile girl."

Gibbs nodded, "I'm just afraid that her good moods and cheery disposition is just an act, to steer us away from worrying about her and her way of hiding how much this whole thing has affected her."

Ducky nodded once again, "Abigail doesn't like when others worry about her, she doesn't want to be a burden, and I dare say she is very far from ever being one, but she worries about those kinds of things. I would like to see her, get her to talk to me, I know she has nightmares; I hear her wake up and scream in the middle of the night. She is trying to be brave, but it's an act she won't be able to keep up long, but I hope that when she lets her guard down, one of us is there to help her through her feelings."

Gibbs sighed and ran his hand over his face, "Don't worry Duck, you know we're always here for her, and you too," Gibbs raised a brow at his final words and waited to hear what Ducky had to say.

Ducky looked away a moment and was silent for a few minutes before he looked at Gibbs once again, "Jethro, if I could be brutally honest for a moment…" he trailed waiting for Gibbs' reply.

"What is it Duck?"

"This whole situation scares the shit out of me."

Gibbs couldn't help the smirk that appeared on his face when Ducky forcefully pushed those words out of his mouth; Gibbs reached over and thumped him on the shoulder in a friendly manner, "I wouldn't think you sane if you felt otherwise, Duck."

Ducky managed a small, good humored smile, "No, I should suppose not, who isn't afraid when they wake up after a thirteen hour nightmare to find they are paralyzed."

"But you have the chance to walk again, albeit, that it will take some time, and it will be painful as hell, but I know you can get through it."

Ducky chuckled lightly, but then grew serious a moment as he realized it was a weekday and Gibbs was out of the office, "Jethro, aren't you supposed to be at work right now?"

Gibbs sighed and nodded before pushing himself out of his chair, "Yeah, but neither me nor the rest of the team could concentrate until one of us came over to check up on you both and come back with a full report. DiNozzo really wanted to come, but I knew he would screw it up somehow."

Ducky chuckled at that thought, "Anthony is a bit of a walking disaster, say Jethro, before you leave, could you let Abigail know I am fine and that I miss her."

Gibbs nodded as he walked towards the door, "Sure thing Duck."

Ducky smiled and nodded a farewell to Gibbs before he turned his head back to face the wall. He tried with all his might to move a toe, but it was useless, and he knew it would be until he went through some therapy. He sighed and slapped his hand across his thighs, "Useless legs," he muttered in an annoyed tone under his breath.

………………………………….

Just after Gibbs had left Abby a second time she had begun her quest to pester the doctor to let her leave her bed for a quick visit with Ducky. She also had a back-up plan, if the doctor didn't fall for her methods, she figured she could always sweet talk June. June had come to take Abby's breakfast tray when Abby asked June to get her doctor, it was an emergency. June hurried down the hall to fetch the doctor.

"Abby, what is it? What's wrong?" He practically shouted as he began the frantically search her vitals and the printout from the machine hooked up to her lungs.

"I demand an hour out of this bed so that I can see Ducky."

The doctor stopped his searching and rounded on her, "_That_ is what you had me rushing in here like a mad man for? I thought it was an _emergency_!

"But it is an emergency, I haven't seen Ducky in two days, I need to talk to him." She tried her innocently pleading voice on the doctor.

He crossed his arms and gave her a stern look, "Miss Scuito, for the betterment of your health you are restricted to your bed for the next thirty six hours."

"But I've already been in this damn bed for over twenty four hours; I'm starting to get sores on my butt!"

June hid her chuckle and looked away when the doctor shot her a look, he then sighed, "Miss Scuito, I am very sorry, but there is no way I am authorizing you to get out of bed before 11pm tomorrow evening."

Abby fixed him with a glower, "What is so wrong with me getting out of this bed for an hour, I'd only be transferred to a wheelchair, it's not like I'd be walking."

"She does have a point there, doctor, the only reason she is confined to her bed is so that she doesn't over exert her lungs, but if we were to put her in a wheelchair and wheel her over to Mr. Mallard's room, that should be fine, right?"

The doctor then rounded on June, "I do not need you taking the patients side, you are to make sure she stays in this bed." And with those final words he strode out of the room.

June went to stand next to Abby, "Sorry sugar, it seems your little plan didn't work out after all."

Abby looked up at the nurse, a smile on her face, "June, you could wheel me over to Ducky really quick, then bring me back here before the doctor would ever find out."

June looked at Abby sternly, "Now Abigail, you're worse off than the kids down in pediatrics tryin to get me to smuggle in some candy for them."

"And I bet you get those kids their candy, don't you?" Abby asked in an accusatory tone.

"I will not dignify that with a response; now do you want me to assign you a different nurse, one who has a glass eye and a cold attitude?" June threatened, but Abby could see the humor in her eyes.

"No," Abby said with a sigh of air, "but it would be nice if I could see Ducky, he could really cheer me up."

June raised an eyebrow, "Oh now, is that so? And here I thought it was that Gibbs fellow that always put a sparkle in your eye."

Abby blushed, "Gibbs does a good job of it too, but Ducky is like my confidant, no wait, Gibbs is too, but Ducky is like a grandfather to me, whereas Gibbs…well Gibbs…I just think of Gibbs in a different way."

June smiled as she started to exit Abby's room to finish her rounds, before coming back to Abby, "Uh huh, and what exactly is Gibbs' role? Your secret lover?" she smirked as she watched the rose color spread in Abby's cheek, she then exited the room laughing, she could read both Abby and Gibbs as if they were open books.

**A/N: **So what did you all think?? Leave a review and let me know!! Love you all!


	8. Determined

**Disturbing Behavior**

**By: **Raven612

**Chapter 7: **Determined

**A/N: **Here it is ladies and gentlemen! I have found my muse once more and am on a role with updating my stories, starting today, lol. And my muse is the amazing band I just discovered a few nights ago called Poets of the Fall. You must go to youtube and watch their video for Carnival of Rust. Anyways, here is the seventh chapter!

…………….

Later that evening Tony and the rest of the team stopped by to check on Abby and Ducky to make sure they were doing alright. Tony was in with Abby, after asking for a few minutes alone to talk with her.

"Hey Abs, how is everything going?"

Abby sighed and looked at him, she had just gotten done with her final breathing exercise for the day and was feeling even more agitated than this morning, "I'm frustrated, hurt, pissed, sad, and angry, basically I'm everything right now and the only thing that would make me feel better is if I could see Ducky."

Tony was warned that she would bring up seeing Ducky, he went and sat on the side of her bed and took her hand in his, "I know Abby, and they already warned me that you would try to talk me into taking you to see him, but you know I'm here for you to talk to, or anything you may need. I'll listen; you know I was a part of the whole mess too."

Abby smiled at Tony, "I know Tony, but it's just different, Ducky was there with me, me and Clay and we're the only ones who made it, and I'm experiencing survivors quilt right now and I'm guessing Ducky might be too. I love you Tony, and I know I can talk to you about anything, but this time it's just different."

Tony smoothed some hair from her face, "I get what you're saying, and even though it hurts my feelings a little bit, I understand, I just want to see the sparkle in your eyes again."

Abby smiled at him, trying to look as cheery as possible, "Don't worry Tony, it'll come back, just you wait."

Tony chuckled, "I suppose I can do that," he looked thoughtful for a moment, "so you seem to believe that seeing and talking to Ducky is the only way for you to feel okay again, well let me see what I can do for you, pretty lady."

Abby chuckled at him and looked genuinely happy, she knew she could count on Tony; she opened her arms for him and gave him a big hug, "Oh thank you Tony, I knew you would help me!"

Tony hugged her back, "Hey, we're partners in crime; I scratch your back you scratch mine, so you owe me in the future."

Abby smiled as he pulled away, "Anytime and anything."

Tony put on his charming face, "Really?"

Abby socked him in the arm, "Tony," she groaned and laughed.

"Just kidding Abs," he patted her on the shoulder and kissed her on the forehead.

"Just remember to work your magic for me Tony," she winked at him as he exited her room just as Ziva and McGee walked in.

"Hey Abby," McGee greeted walking over to her.

"Hey Timmy, how are things at the office?"

McGee shrugged, "Tense, everyone is still shaken up by what happened, Clay's desk has been completely cleared off, just like when Kate died."

Abby looked sad and turned her head away from the agents to look out the window. Ziva shot McGee a look as she walked up to Abby's bed.

"Here Abby, I brought you something," Ziva said as cheerfully as she could.

Abby turned back around to face Ziva and noticed she was holding an Uglydoll in her arms. Abby brightened when she saw it, "For me?"

"Well there is no one else here who would like such a thing," Ziva said in a joking manner and handed Abby the plush toy.

Abby hugged it to her chest, "Oh I've always meant to get an Uglydoll, but I could never find them anywhere, oh he's so cute!"

Ziva looked perplexed for a moment, "But it is an Uglydoll, how can it be cute?"

McGee chuckled, "That's actually a good question, and they really aren't ugly."

Abby shot him a look, "McGee, shush, he can hear you."

McGee rolled his eyes, "It's just a stuffed toy."

Abby shot him a look since she couldn't reach him but Ziva punched his arm for her.

"Ow," he protested and grabbed his arm looking between the two, "what was that for?"

"Harold has feelings McGee; I don't talk about you like that right to your face."

McGee opened and closed his mouth a few times trying to form words, "I didn't insult it, I just said it wasn't ugly, how is that rude?"

Ziva looked confused too, "Yes, he actually kind of complimented it, it really isn't ugly," she then turned to Abby waiting for a reply.

Abby sighed and rolled her eyes, she then covered the sides of the dolls head as if covering its ears, "It's an Uglydoll, it's supposed to be ugly, if you say it isn't then that hurts its feelings."

Ziva was more confused now and turned back to McGee and threw her hands in the air, "Americans; you are very strange."

McGee rolled his eyes at Abby but was happy to see her smiling, "I'm sorry Harold."

Abby smiled wider and hugged her stuffed doll closer to her chest, "He accepts."

McGee shook his head and Ziva chuckled.

"Heeeey, but you called him cute too," McGee accused pointing to Abby.

Abby smiled and looked as if she had no idea what he was talking about, "He forgives me; he knows I meant it in a good way."

McGee was even more confused than before and decided to change the subject, "So how are things going in here, you feeling okay?"

Abby tried to smile as best she could, but it failed her and she started to play with her doll, "Things could be better, but I guess I'm doing well considering the situation, starting tomorrow morning Ducky and I have to visit with a Psychologist. I guess we have to work through our feelings and get whatever might be bothering us or scaring us off our chests, supposedly it's supposed to make us feel better."

"And you do not want to see this Psychologist?"

Abby looked to be lost in thought before she answered Ziva, "It's not that I don't want to visit with him or her, but I've always just told Ducky my problems and he's always helped me, well aside from Gibbs and everyone else. I'm going to feel weird sharing everything with a complete stranger who has no idea what I went through. How can I express myself and my feelings if the person I'm telling everything to has no idea what happened, all they're capable of saying is 'uh huh and how did that make you feel?' and then they'll probably try to tell me I have daddy issues. I would just feel so much better if I could talk with Ducky, he was there, he knows how it felt, and for God's sake he pushed me out of the path of a bullet that surely would've killed the both of us."

McGee and Ziva cringed when she related that last part, but Ziva smiled timidly as she stepped closer to the bed and awkwardly grabbed Abby's hand, "It's okay Abby, we understand how you feel and we also know you'd be more comfortable with Ducky, but maybe if you tell the Psychologist what you have told us, then maybe he could work out a deal to get you to see Ducky, because they'll see that that's what will help you the most."

Abby smiled kindly to Ziva, "Thanks Ziva," Abby sighed, "but I suppose I'll have to wait until tomorrow to see what kind of questions I get bombarded with."

Ziva patted her hand and stepped back so McGee could have a turn. McGee took Ziva's place.

"And what have you got to tell me Timmy?" Abby joked with a smile.

"Just that you need to hang in there, and don't be afraid to talk to us, we're here for you and we always will be, we all know this whole mess has affected you much more than you let on. We all love you, if you need anything, anything at all, give us a call." He smiled then bent and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Abby smiled and wiped away the tear that had fallen from her eye, "Thanks so much, guys, it all means so much to me."

McGee and Ziva smiled, Ziva gave her a hug before she and McGee exited the room.

Abby sighed and wiped away the stray tears and then sat and wondered when Gibbs would come see her. She was looking forward to his visit most of all, but he had yet to make an appearance. She was wondering where he was when a soft knocking on her door made her jump.

"Didn't mean to startle you," Gibbs said as he entered the room.

Abby lit up and smiled at him, "Gibbs, I was wondering when I'd see you again."

He smiled at her and pulled a chair up to her bedside, "You don't think I could leave without seeing my girl, did you?"

She smiled when he used his endearment for her, it made her heart flutter, "I don't know Gibbs, you sure know how to make a girl wonder."

"I heard you're bothering anyone who'll come in your room to see Ducky," he stated it as more of a question rather than fact.

Abby nibbled on her lower lip and looked down to the hands in her lap, "I just want to see him, Gibbs," she said in a voice wet with sadness.

Gibbs got out of his chair and stretched himself out next to her the best he could and placed his arm around her shoulders and drew her into his chest, "I know Abby, no one can blame you for that, but what if I told you I might have a surprise for you?"

Abby sniffled and wiped a few tears away as she looked up at him, "And what would that be?"

Gibbs chuckled and kissed her cheek, "Now, if I told you what it was, it wouldn't be a surprise now would it?" He had absentmindedly taken to lightly rubbing her shoulder with his thumb and it sent shivers down Abby's spine.

"I suppose not, and I do love surprises."

Gibbs smiled and shook his head as he pulled her tighter against him. She rested her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat, he in turn rested his chin softly on the top of her head.

"Hey Gibbs," Abby ventured.

"Hmmm?" he questioned as he continued to lightly brush his thumb over her shoulder.

"I think this is the most comfortable I've been in days," she sighed and put her arm around his waist the best that she could reach.

Gibbs chuckled, "Everything will be okay Abs."

Abby merely sighed and burrowed her head under his chin and closer to his chest. She let the sounds of his heart beating lull her to sleep.

……………..

Abby woke with a start in the middle of the night; she was startled to find she was alone in her bed, she could've sworn that Gibbs was lying with her when she fell asleep. She looked around her room and found that Gibbs was asleep in a chair next to her bed. She smiled as she settled down. She sighed as she cast her eyes upon her leg in the sling, it didn't hurt much until she started to think about it, then she could feel a throbbing where the steel leg of her computer table pierced her flesh, bone, and muscle rendering it useless. She absently ran her fingers gingerly across the stitches in her head that held the gash there closed. She then traced the stitches in her arm where she was grazed by a bullet, this was the first time she really took the time to asses her wounds. She let out a deep sigh and deflated back into her pillows.

"You okay Abs?" Gibbs' sleep filled voice asked from the chair next to her bed.

Abby jumped as she was startled by hearing him, "Oh, uhm, I'm good, just uhm, ya know, trying to cope."

Gibbs rose from his chair without a sound and leaned down to kiss her cheek, "You can talk to me about it Abby."

Abby smiled to him as kindly as she could and it ended up coming out looking like a grimace, "I know Gibbs and normally I would and I want to, but I'm just so worried about Ducky and I want to talk to him before I talk with anyone else, it's just my way of coping, you have your boat, Tony has his movies, Ziva has her assasining stuff, and McGee has his computer stuff. I have my Ducky."

Gibbs nodded, he wished she would talk to him, but he knew in order for her to open up to him she would be better off visiting with Ducky first. Gibbs understood that Abby needed to see with her own eyes that Ducky was okay, he figured she needed to _see _the evidence that Ducky was still okay. "I know Abby, and Tony and I raised some hell today and something should be done by tomorrow."

Abby visibly brightened and pushed herself into more of a sitting position, "Gibbs, I knew I could count on you guys," she held her arms open inviting him into a hug.

Gibbs complied and fit himself in her arms and embraced her, "Anything to make you feel better."

As he stood back she smiled at him, "Gibbs, you're the best."

He smirked and shrugged as he lowered himself back into his chair and resumed his post next to her bed. Abby yawned and snuggled herself into her stiff pillows that reeked of antiseptic and looked out her window. Clearly visible over to city skyline was a partially full moon, but no stars. She closed her eyes and imagined all the stars she used to see as a kid growing up in New Orleans and she whispered to herself the 'I wish I may, I wish I might,' poem before slipping off into a dreamless sleep. Her biggest comfort was knowing that while she slept Gibbs would be with her and holding onto her hand, almost like it were a lifeline for her and she knew he would never let her go.

………..

**A/N: **Woot, and this is the finish of chapter seven! I hope you all liked it! Also, today while driving to work a song came on and gave me an inspiration for a new NCIS story, but I won't start it until I finish this story or Road Trip. But I did write down all I want in that story and made all kinds of notes so I don't forget anything when I go to write it! But I'm so excited to start writing it; my notes are four pages long! :D I'm looking forward to reviews!!


	9. Comfort Food

**Disturbing Behavior**

**By: **Raven612

**Chapter 8: **Comfort Food

**A/N: **Well here it is guys, chapter 8! Sorry it took longer than expected to post, but I just started my third year of college on Tuesday and I've been a little ill. But I'm back and just got done reading some amazing fics and so I got inspired to update this little gem, read, enjoy, and review!!

…………………………

"Uh huh, and how does that make you feel?" the psychologist had been sitting in Abby's room with her for the past hour trying to get her to open up and talk about the ordeal she had just gone through, but Abby wasn't letting her in.

"Well let's see, I was seven when bubbly died and then eleven with fishy died, so I guess I felt sad."

Dr. Morgan sighed and jotted down some notes, she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, that signaled she was going to get down to the nitty gritty. "Look, Ms. Scuito, if you don't want to cooperate, that's fine, it just means you'll stay in the hospital longer. I'm here to help you, but I can't do that if you keep avoiding the subject and continue to tell me about your dead Gold Fish."

"But their deaths have a lot to do with the way I am today, it's tragic when you're five years old and the first Gold Fish you've ever had ends up being lunch for your new kitten."

Dr. Morgan gave Abby a stare which could rival Gibbs', "I'll ask one more time, can you tell me about the incident you experience three days ago and let me know the feelings you experienced."

Abby turned away from the doctor and looked out her window, "Like I've told everyone else, I want to talk to Ducky, after that, fine, then you can come pick my brain again and then I'll share my 'feelings' with you," she turned back to the psychologist with a no-nonsense look.

Dr. Morgan sighed in defeat and rose from her chair next to Abby's bed, "Fine, I'll see what I can, but only because you're sure this is the only thing that will be helpful to you."

Abby smiled at her, "Thank you."

Dr. Morgan shook her head and exited the room in search for the doctor.

………………………….

Abby was just starting to drift to sleep when a flurry of nurses came into her room flanking another hospital bed. She had no idea they could fit two people in her room, she thought she would be alone.

"Abigail, are you over there somewhere, I say, I can't see over all of these heads," a familiar voice asked from the midst of the hustle and bustle.

Tears sprang from Abby's eyes immediately as she recognized the voice of Ducky, "Oh Ducky, is it really you?" she asked in a soggy voice.

"In the flesh and blood, though I do wish my lower extremities worked."

"It's so good to hear your voice again, Duck."

"You too Abigail," this time tears were evident in his voice.

Before Abby got a chance to talk with him some more the doctor came in with a team of specialists to make sure all the equipment for Ducky was being set up properly. When he was satisfied that his staff could manage without him looking over his shoulder he went over to Abby. He checked her vitals before he began talking to her.

"Since you insist on constantly harassing me and my staff about Dr. Mallard we finally agreed to set him up in your room. I hope this will help you," he then looked between the two as the rest of the nurses and specialist left the room, "both of you."

Before Abby could express her thanks their doctor walked out of the room and closed the door, allowing them some alone time and privacy. Abby knew that the only reason Ducky was now her new roommate was because of a combined effort on Gibbs and Tony's part. She would have to remember to thank them.

"Ducky, how are you?" she asked looking over to him, they were close enough for them to each reach out their hands and just barely brush finger tips.

He smiled the best he could for her, "Truthfully; I'm doing terribly. I'm upset because I can't walk, I'm angry at Herrera for making me like this, and I'm also deeply saddened by what happened to Clay."

Abby nodded along with his statement, he was echoing most of her feelings too, "I feel so sorry for his family, and I feel like I should've been the one that died."

Ducky frowned at her and wished he could pull her into a protective hug, instead he smiled as warmly as he possibly could at her, "It's normal to think like that, Abigail, especially after what has just happened to us, I feel that same way."

Abby smirked at him, "I can't stop thinking about it, any of it, I want to, I want to push it out of my head, but it stays."

Ducky nodded, he was going through the same thing, "I know Abigail, I know, I just want to forget the whole ugly incident. I wish it were only a dream and I would wake up in a few minutes and find that my legs work, that Clay is going home at night to a beautiful family, that you're in your lab with Android Lust blaring," he chuckled softly at the last bit of his sentence.

"I wish we were dreaming." She suddenly looked very serious and tears began to race down her cheeks as she spoke, "I feel so guilty Ducky, I can't help but feel that I caused Clay to die, that it was something I did that ticked Herrera off and he pressed that detonator. I just feel so guilty, I don't know if I can even face his family…if we even get to go to the funeral." Abby slumped down, as if that confession finally drained all of her strength, she couldn't even lift her head to acknowledge Ducky as he responded to her.

"Dear Abigail that is not the way to think, though I know it's hard and it will probably take you a while to stop putting the blame on yourself, but you have to know, in your heart that no one but Herrera was at fault. No one blames you at all, I surely don't and I'm sure his family might be comforted if they could speak with you, or us. His wife might like to talk with those that were with him before his death. There is nothing you could've done that would've changed the outcome."

Abby sniffed and started to fiddle with her hands, "Yes there is Ducky, I could've given Herrera all the information he wanted with just one click of the button, then he wouldn't have killed Clay or paralyzed you. It's my fault, you weren't even supposed to be in the lab, and you're not supposed to be hurt." She started to cry softly as everything finally started to bubble up in her.

Ducky looked away from her for a moment as he collected his thoughts, "Abigail I'm glad I was with you in that lab. I do not want you to blame yourself for what had happened. We will have to survive this guilt, I feel it too, but we need to look past it. There is a silver lining in everything; we just have to find it in this situation."

Abby frowned and looking into her lap as she poured out some more from her heart, "Ducky, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there can't possibly be any silver lining to this situation. My lab is completely destroyed, you're paralyzed, Clay is dead, and my leg is useless. Nothing good has come out of this, I feel crappy and guilty. I can't possibly think of anything that could comfort me. I made such a fuss so I could see you and now I'm not sure if that'll even help me. I have so much I want to say but I can't figure out how to get it out."

Ducky nodded as soon as she finished, "Abby, tell me about your nightmares, please."

Abby took a deep breath and looked at the wall in front of her bed as if she were watching her nightmares all over again. "I'm always in my lab, but after the explosion. I'm not alone. Clay is there, but I know he's dead. He stands against the wall and I sit on my computer chair. He is screaming at me, but I can't hear him. I try to go to him, to see what's wrong but as soon as I stand up the explosion happens again, as if to really finish off what is left of my lab, or maybe to finally finish me off and then I can feel glass rip me apart. That's what makes me wake up, it actually hurts."

"That's because what happens in our dreams is so real our body thinks it's really happening and so the pain does become real. That fable that says if you die in your dreams you die in real life, that's about 95 percent true. If it's realistic enough your brain believes you are dead and so it shuts down and you die. As for the rest of your nightmare, that's brought on by the guilt you feel, talking about your feelings can help the nightmares stop. You also have the support of everyone you love and that loves you, Abby we're going to need all the help we can get to make it through this."

Abby felt her tears splash against her hands and sniffed, "I know," she whispered, her voice thick with tears.

Ducky smiled appreciatively and folded his hands in his lap, "Now, let's talk about our therapy sessions."

Abby smiled meekly, it had seemed a lifetime passed while she and Ducky talked but in reality it was a little less than an hour. "I heard you already started, I get to wait until my cast comes off they take more x-rays."

"It could take me that long just to be able to move a toe," he tried to smile, but even he could hear the despair in his voice.

Abby's arms flopped to the mattress next to her, "Ducky, I just want to get out of here, I want to go home, I want to be free, I want things to go back to normal."

Ducky sighed, "I afraid things won't go back to normal, not completely, my dear."

Abby nodded, "I know, I can hope though," she smiled awkwardly at him, but her next thought was silenced when the door to their room opened and June stepped in.

"Ah, June, how are you this afternoon?" Ducky asked turning to look at her as she entered.

June smiled at him and cast a look towards Abby, "I'm starting to see just how tight these bonds are, I'm fighting against your colleges right now, the only way they shut up was when I told them you and Abigail got to be together and that they needed to give you two a few minutes to re-connect and get on track. Now don't you two disappoint me, you better behave like good patients now."

Abby smiled at her, "Don't worry June, I won't bother you for another thing as long as I'm in here."

June looked knowingly at her, "Uh huh and how come I don't believe that." She checked the saline solution dripping into her IV and wrote some notes onto a clipboard.

"Well maybe I'll bother you for a candy bar," Abby gave her the puppy dog face and June chuckled.

"That sounds wonderful, dear," Ducky interjected from a few feet away.

June went to him next and flipped through his charts and seemed to be writing more than she added with Abby. "I bet you'd both love a sweet treat, I'll see what I can do sugar." She smiled and stuck his charts back to the end of his bed and as she walked out added, "I'll unleash the hounds, so be sure to wipe your eyes sugarplum, I think Gibbs would get too worried if he knew you were cryin."

Abby sniffed and let out a small laugh as she wiped away the tear tracks. She barely pulled her hand away from her face before the door to their room opened and Gibbs strode in followed closely by Tony.

"So how do you like your new roomie, Abs," Tony asked with a chuckle and looked between the two.

Abby smiled at him, "I can't thank you two enough, I feel much better now."

"Good, but I've got some bad news," Gibbs said grimly as he went and stood between their beds and looked from one to the other.

"What is it Jethro?"

Gibbs took a deep breath and rubbed his hand over his face, "You and Abs are to testify in court against Herrera."

Both Ducky and Abby were silent as they processed the information, Tony and Gibbs both waited to see how they would take the news, as they waited Ziva and McGee entered the room.

"I take it he has told them," Ziva said in a whisper to McGee as she took in the atmosphere of the room.

"I think that's a good guess," McGee whispered back to her.

Tony shot him a look, "Shush McGroober pants."

McGee glared at him, Ziva chuckled, Tony flashed a grin and she punched his arm, but smiled.

"Will Clay's wife have to testify too?" Abby finally asked.

Gibbs nodded.

"I'll do whatever it takes to make sure he never sees the light of day again," she finally answered in a voice tinted with ice.

"I want to see him sent away," Ducky amended with his own answer.

Gibbs, unsure of whom to go to first stood awkwardly between them. Just as he was sure he was looking like an idiot Jenny entered the room.

"Did you tell them?"

"Yeah, they both want to see his sorry ass put away, I'd rather kill him."

Jenny smirked and shook her head, she walked past him and pulled a chair up to Ducky's bed and started a conversation with him.

Abby watched them for a few minutes before turning her attention back to the rest of the people gathered in their room, "It feels like a party, everyone is here, man the work must be piling up with you guys always out of the office."

Gibbs smirked at her and went to the other side of the room to grab a vacant chair, he pulled it up to the side of her bed, and Tony walked over and took the spot he had just vacated.

"How are you feeling today Abby, it looks like your skin has become red again," Ziva smiled as she stepped up to the foot of her bed.

"Uh, I think she meant you look like you've got some of your color back," Tony translated.

"Thank you Ziva, I feel a lot better, it helped getting to talk to Ducky."

Ziva smiled and nodded, "It is good to see you looking happy again."

Abby smiled, she wasn't too used to the assigns niceness.

"They tell when you can expect to be leaving?" McGee asked as he came to stand at the foot of her bed as Gibbs occupied one side and Tony and Ziva were on the other.

Abby rolled her eyes, "No, they keep giving me the go around whenever I ask, but I think it should be soon."

Gibbs sat silently and let her and the rest of the team converse, Jenny came by and soon the entire room was talking to one another. Finally, a little after Abby and Ducky had finished their lunch and been given mild pain killers did Gibbs escort the rest of his team out.

"Bye guys, I hope to see you all soon, and not in the hospital," Abby called and hugged each one as they left, Ducky giving them all a smile and nod.

"I'll stop by tonight, I want to visit with your doctor," Gibbs kissed her on the cheek and smoothed some hair away as he left her side.

Abby smiled, she knew he was going to demand a release date for her and Ducky.

"Hang in there Ducky, I hear you have some more therapy this afternoon, and Abby," he added turning to her with one of his looks, "no more giving the psychologist a hard time."

Abby pretended to look shocked, "Gibbs, that's a breach in confidentiality."

He just smirked, shook his head, and left.

"Abigail, just tell him already," Ducky said as soon as the room grew silent again.

Abby sighed, "I will Duck, just not here and not now."

Ducky simply nodded and before he could speak two nurses arrived in their room, both with a wheelchair.

"Let's get you out of bed Abby," June smiled widely as she pushed her wheelchair to the side of Abby's bed.

Abby looked genuinely excited, "I'm so glad to see that, I thought I was going to lose my butt."

June chuckles and slides the side rails down, lowers Abby's sling and helps her into the chair.

**A/N: ** There might be a few grammatical mistakes and spelling errors in this chapter because I went a little quickly towards the end of it so I could post before I went to bed, so I'm sorry about that :/ Anyways, besides all of that review and let me know what you think!! The next chapter will be somewhat entertaining then the chapter after than I'll start to move the story along faster!!


	10. Wheelies

**Disturbing Behavior**

**By: **Raven612

**Chapter 9: **Wheelies

**A/N: **Sorry that this took so long to update, but writers block and school suck! Here is the next chapter! I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!!

……………..

Abby had insisted they take a trip to see Ducky. Abby claimed it was because she wanted to see what she would be in for when she got her cast removed. June wheeled her around the corner where Ducky was lying on a table and a physical therapist was bending his legs into his chest.

"These are simple exercises to keep the blood flowing in your legs and to make sure you don't lose your muscle mass." Abby heard the therapist say as he switched to the other leg.

Ducky nodded, "And how long are we to do this?"

"These exercises will be paired with some physical activity for about three weeks and then believe it or not a few months down the road if your condition is improving we actually use the Nintendo Wii Fit to help you regain movement."

"See Ducky, video games are useful," Abby said as June stopped their adventure just a few feet from where he lay.

Ducky chuckled and turned his head so that he could look at Abby, "Nice to see you out of bed my dear, I do hope you're not causing poor June too much trouble."

June smiled and shook her head, "She's been right nice today," June's Texan accent and 'southern charm' have been coming out more and more lately as she got to know Ducky and Abby, "took her for a little ride before her next psych appointment, which reminds me Dr. Mallard you've got one right after this session and you Abigail have one in a few minutes.'

Ducky sighed in defeat, "Right, I suppose I'll have to put up with those for a while, though I am trying to convince the young lady I am fine. You see I'm a psychologist myself." His words were interrupted as the therapist pushed his leg up to his chest and a sudden sharp pain shot through his spine and he hissed.

Abby looked to the therapist, "Is that a good sign?"

The therapist, not turning to her but continuing his motions called over his shoulder, "It is a good sign, but nothing monumental. He'll re-gain very little feeling in the next few weeks, but depending on when he can move his feet will let us know just how far he is progressing."

Abby looked downcast and sighed, she motioned for June to wheel her closer to Ducky and she grabbed his hand, "Well Duck, just think in about two and a half months I'll be joining you, in the meantime," she craned her head around to look at June a gleam in her eyes, "someone's going to have to teach me to use a wheelchair."

Ducky chuckled and June snorted, "Is that so young lady? I'll give ya lessons as long as you promise not to run amuck in my hospital."

Abby grinned and held out her hand to June, "I promise."

June smiled, nodded, and firmly shook Abby's proffered hand. "Now with that cleared up, I say it's time to get you back to your room, Dr. Morgan will be looking for you."

Abby sighed when she heard the name of her assigned therapist, "Great, I've wasted all my dead fish stories on her already," she rolled her eyes and allowed June to pivot her and push her from the room, Ducky called out a good-bye to her.

………………

Just as Abby was crossing the threshold of her room Dr. Morgan stood from the bed where she was sitting waiting for them to return. She smiled upon seeing Abby looking a little brighter today. She nodded in way of excusing June and went to stand behind Abby. "It's a nice evening, would you mind if we talked in the courtyard this time?"

Abby smiled, "I guess it would be nice to get out of this stale place for a bit, tally-ho doc."

Dr. Morgan couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped her, "Feeling better now?"

Abby nodded, "Yeah, I feel fine, I don't even think we need to see one another after tonight," she looked back hopefully at Dr. Morgan, but soon frowned seeing the look she wore.

"It really isn't that simple, we may all wish it were, but depending on how you react to our session this evening, we'll see just how soon you can get out of here."

Abby huffed and sank down in her chair, she really believed she was alright and saw no reason to stay any longer. It was a bit of a ride down to the main floor and out some back doors to a fenced in courtyard. Some patients were already out there either enjoying the cool night breeze or sucking on cancer sticks. Some nurses stood against the doors chatting, not paying attention to their patients. Dr. Morgan shot them a look, but they ignored it. Dr. Morgan wheeled Abby to a picnic table situated under a large tree and went to sit in front of her, she smiled hoping to gain some trust from Abby.

"Now this time, I don't want to hear about your dead pets, I want to hear about what happened to you a few days ago."

Abby sighed and rolled her eyes, but knowing she had gotten her biggest wish taken care of she told Dr. Morgan the entire story, from start to finish. She stopped and assessed Dr. Morgan's face, but it revealed nothing. Abby watched her hand fly across the legal pad resting in her lap and wondered what she was writing. Abby stopped trying to look and sank back in her chair once more and let out a deep breath hoping to call attention to her. Dr. Morgan looked up at her and smiled.

"That's what I wanted you to get out Abby, you may think that none of this will affect you, but you'll find as we dig deeper that it'll have some negative results."

Abby looked confused for a moment, "Uhm, sorry Dr. Morgan, but like I said I feel fine, honestly. I know these types of things come with the job and I can deal with them. I really don't feel the need to talk to a psychologist anymore. My family, the team, is all I need and I've got them." Abby smiled then as she made her point.

Dr. Morgan sighed; Abby couldn't tell if it was in defeat or in annoyance so she waited for a response. Finally Dr. Morgan looked at her, "Clearly you're a very strong individual and you have a very close circle of people that care about you and will do nothing to help you and protect you. I think these sessions could help you, but I can't force progress and clearly you won't make any, not with me anyways-"

Abby cut her off suddenly there, "It's nothing personal, it's just the way I am."

Dr. Morgan nodded as she continued, "Well then with all that being said I don't see why you couldn't go home in two days time."

"Yes," Abby said in delight as she pumped her fist.

………………….

"Two days, two days and I'll be free," Abby said with a smile to Ducky. They had just finished their meal and were waiting for the rest of the team to show up.

"Ah, it seems you've beat me Abigail, I'm stuck in here for the next four days, I dare say I shall be released on the day of the funeral." Ducky looked saddened by the thought.

Abby frowned at him, "Don't worry Duck, we'll make sure you make it to the funeral, do you know what time you'll be getting released?"

"It'll be morning, after a therapy session, so I would assume 0900."

Abby smiled, "You'll have enough time to make it to the funeral; Gibbs said it was going to start at 1100."

Ducky nodded, yet looked sullen, "I do hate funerals, but I need to pay my respects to the courageous young man."

Abby nodded, "I think his family would appreciate it."

They were silent for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. A soft knock at the door made them both jump and look up.

"Am I interrupting?" Tony smiled as he walked in carrying a large vase full of red and black roses, "present from headquarters, they apologize about it being late." He walked over and set it on the table that was situated between Ducky and Abby.

"It's beautiful," Abby cooed as she turned to look at it.

"It's the second most beautiful things in this room," Tony said in a joking tone and went to kiss her cheek.

Abby smiled at him as he pulled away, "Aw Tony, you always know just the right words to make a girl tingle."

Tony chuckled, but the sudden head slap made him shut-up.

"You make other girls tingle DiNozzo, Abby's much too classy for it," McGee shot as he followed their boss in.

"Ha ha McNoodle," Tony snapped as he stepped aside to let Gibbs and the rest of the crew into the room.

"Hey guys," Abby called with a smile.

"How are you Abby?" Ziva asked from the opposite side of Ducky's bed.

"I'm good, got some great news today!" She announced excitedly.

"You get to go home in two days," Gibbs said for her and bent to kiss her forehead.

She crossed her arms and gave him one of her looks, "Well what if that wasn't what I was going to say?"

Gibbs merely grinned down at her and she softened up and smiled.

"So Duck man, how is the therapy going? They got you on the parallel bars yet?" Tony asked clapping the ME on the shoulder.

Ducky chuckled, "Not yet Anthony, but my time for them nears. Did you know that they were invented in the early 19th century by a German man named Friedrich Jahn for gymnastics, coincidentally he is known as the father of gymnastics, and they are used to strengthen the upper body."

Tony looked confused, "So then why use them when you can't walk if they only strengthen the upper body," Tony flexed his arm then and shot Ziva and Abby a grin, they both shook their head at him.

"Balance my dear boy, plus I'll need something to hold onto while I try and walk, but there are many different ways for me to learn to walk again as I progress with my situation."

Tony nodded, satisfied for now with his Q and A session. The rest of the night continued with general small talk, but everyone avoided the subject of Herrera and what happened a few nights ago all together, but it was there burning in the back of everyone's mind. McGee had just finished doodling next to a picture of skulls when Tony ripped the marker from him and began his own sketch, trying to recreate a voodoo doll and naming it Dimmy Timmy. After persistent begging from Abby Gibbs signed his name but refused to draw a picture. Ziva signed the cast next and added some drawn black roses. As night rolled around Tony, Ziva, and McGee said their good-byes and waited in the lobby for Gibbs.

"I'll be by to pick you up Sunday morning, you can stay with me for a while," he said to Abby and kissed her cheek.

"Okay," she sighed, feeling the pull of her pain killers lulling her to sleep.

Gibbs smiled and stroked her cheek softly before going to Ducky. "You're welcome to stay at my place too, you'll both need help and I've already built a ramp on my front porch. I know she'll need us, both of us."

Ducky looked thoughtful for a moment, touched by the generosity, but didn't know if he wanted to accept it. "I'm fine Jethro, no need to worry about me-"

Gibbs cut him off immediately, "It really wasn't a choice Duck, we all want to help you and seeing as I'm the only one with a house, and not a house with your mother in it, there's really no argument, I had Tony and McGee help turn the living room into a makeshift bedroom the other day."

Ducky let out a sigh, "It's a lot to ask Jethro and I don't want to intrude."

Gibbs smirked, "If you were intruding I wouldn't have asked; besides I'm sure some home nurse is going to have to come over every day for a while to check up on you guys and do the bathing thing."

Ducky reddened slightly and smirked, "I should know not to argue with you, but I still feel awkward about it. Two people confined to wheelchairs for a while is a lot for one man to take care of, I can't accept Jethro. I know Abby needs the both of us, but you need to be the one there for her. I have my place with my mother and I'm sure the nurse will help me get situated at home and I'm sure I can get a ramp on my front steps. It's not like they'll send me away completely helpless."

Gibbs shook his head with a light smirk, "I still don't like the thought of you there alone with your mother, she needs help too and with you incapacitated who will help her?"

Ducky shot back his own comeback, "You said it yourself Jethro, I can't leave mother alone, I have to be there."

Gibbs shook his head knowing he walked right into that, "What if the others take turns staying at your place with you, we still don't know if there will be any repercussions once you guys are home."

Ducky nodded knowing that Herrera has more than a handful of men that would be sent out to take care of Gibbs and the rest of the people centered around the case, more so Abby and Ducky. "I suppose that arrangement I can live with."

Gibbs smiled and nodded, "I thought so, I'll see you tomorrow Duck," he patted the old man on the shoulder and smiled as he left the room.

…..Two Days Later 0900……

"There will be no horsin' around with that wheelchair in my house, the last thing I need is for you to wind up back in the hospital because you got too carried away." Gibbs gave Abby a stare as he pushed her wheelchair out under the awning and up to his waiting car.

"Gibbs, what do you think I'll do?" she asked in a joking manner and waited as he loaded her gifts into his backseat. A nurse was standing by along with Abby's doctor to help get her into the car, though Gibbs could handle all on his own.

"Must feel good to get to go home," June said with a sad smile as she walked up to stand next to Abby.

Abby smiled and looked up to her, "It feels amazing," she breathed and some tears collected in her eyes as she realized she'd have to say goodbye to June.

"Oh hush now darling, there's nothing to cry about, you'll be seeing me soon and often enough," June wiped away some tears of her own.

"I know, but I'm gonna miss you," Abby choked out and wiped away the traitorous tears the slid down her cheeks.

June chuckled and bent down and gave Abby a hug, "You're one of my most memorable and favorite patients, and I envy you, getting to go home with Gibbs, he's one handsome hunk of man meant," June winked then as she stood and Abby giggled and reddened slightly.

"Well Miss Scuito, I'll be seeing you in five days and try not to over do anything or you will wind up back here," her doctor threatened but smiled.

Abby smiled back and looked at Gibbs as she spoke, "Don't worry I'll be watched like a hawk so I won't be able to do anything without him knowing."

Gibbs nodded and stood on the other side of her chair waiting for the go ahead to load her into the car. The doctor nodded and so Gibbs bent and picked her up as if she were nothing and gently placed her in the passenger's seat and gently buckled her in. Abby was relishing the moment, but then it hit her, she wouldn't be able to see Ducky until tomorrow, when she would talk Gibbs into taking her to see him. Abby watched Gibbs walk around the car and get in on the Driver's side, a nurse was going to come by in the afternoon to show them how to care for Abby's cast and how Abby is to bathe from now on. Abby settled into her seat, the smell of Gibbs making her heart flutter and she smiled. Gibbs looked over at her and couldn't help his own smile. He put the car into drive and drove them home.

…………………

**A/N: **So? Whatchya think? Leave a review please! Also, the next chapter will be pretty sad so you better have some Kleenexes handy!


	11. Goodbye

**Disturbing Behavior**

**By: **Raven612

**Chapter 10: **Goodbye

**A/N: **Well everyone here it is, the sad chapter. I'm going to be really mean and make it as sad as I can because I want tears, lol, no; actually I just want an awesome chapter! Well I shall not delay you any longer with this nonsense. Go on and read now and leave me a review! Oh P.S., the reason I'm updating this story before Road Trip is because I figure it'd be much easier to transition from sad to happy rather than happy to sad, lol, so in the next day or two watch for Road Trip to be updated, we're almost to the exciting points of that story!!

…………………..

Tuesday had dawned brightly; almost mocking the somber mood Abby and the rest of the team were in. Gibbs and Tony had driven to the hospital at 0800 to bring Ducky to Gibbs'. Abby was restless and wheeled herself around Gibbs' empty living room; McGee and Ziva were on their way. She was just finishing a lap around the room when she heard the door open. She looked up quickly to see that it was only McGee and Ziva.

"Hey guys," she greeted with a halfhearted smile.

"Hey Abs," McGee greeted quietly, seeming as though if he spoke too loud he would shatter the air in the room.

Ziva smiled faintly and went to sit on the couch.

Abby wheeled herself over to the couch and continued fidgeting until Tony and Gibbs would arrive with Ducky. She and Ziva were chatting faintly when Abby heard the car pull into the driveway.

"They're here!" she said happily and wheeled over to the window to watch them come up the walk. She smiled upon seeing Ducky.

"I'll get the door," Ziva said trying to be useful and opened the front door and stood back to allow Gibbs room to push Ducky through the threshold.

"Hey Ducky," Abby said wheeling herself beside him and grinning at him. Gibbs parked him next to the sofa.

"Hello Abigail and how are you?"

Abby looked distressed for a moment, "Pretty sucky," she admitted in a tiny voice.

Ducky nodded, knowing exactly how she felt, for he shared her feelings, as well as everyone else in the room.

Gibbs broke the unease, "Well we better get going if we want to get to the church on time for the funeral."

Everyone, that was able to do so, stood and made for the door. Tony wheeled Ducky while Gibbs wheeled Abby. McGee and Ziva waited to help them into the car. Once to the passenger door Tony and McGee helped Ducky into the seat while Gibbs assisted Abby to sit in the back, her leg stretched across the entire backseat.

"We'll meet you guys there," Tony said and smiled to Abby as he closed the door. She smiled back and nodded.

……………

The ride to the church was silent, in both cars. Everyone was reflecting on the events that lead them to this day and this time. For some it was harder than for the others. The crowd outside the church was immense. Gibbs and the others were fortunate enough to park next to one another in spots saved specifically for them. As soon as Gibbs and his team emerged from their vehicles the crowd went silent and turned to look at them.

"Eerie," Tony commented to Ziva, who gave him a look.

"Shut up," she hissed, but smiled.

Tony and McGee went to help get Ducky into his chair and then help Abby into hers. As soon as they were situated and Gibbs and Tony started to push them towards the doors did everyone part and start to clap and cheer for them. Abby looked over to Ducky and saw the tears sliding down his cheeks. Though very embarrassed, Abby couldn't help the tears that fell from her eyes as well. She reached over and clutched Ducky's hand. As they passed everyone that was assembled they were patted on the back and given words of encouragement. Just as the two reached the top of the landing, Clay's family stood in the doorway smiling at them. Abby and Ducky looked to one another; this was definitely not what they were expecting.

Clay's wife had tears on her cheeks as she went to greet them, "I'm glad you could all make it, it makes me feel a whole lot better." She sniffed and gave Abby and Ducky a hug, which garnered more tears from Abby.

"We wouldn't miss it for the world," Ducky assured her giving her hand a firm squeeze.

The two little girls walked up to them shyly, they each held a colored picture in their hands. "Here, we colored these for you," they both blushed as they handed Ducky and Abby pictures they had drawn of the team and had their dad included as an angel looking down on them. "The doctor told us we should draw something with meaning. I made this picture with daddy looking down on you all, protecting you and making sure you're all going to be safe from now on."

The other girl smiled at Ducky and went on to explain her picture, which was of everyone also, but with Clay added in. "This picture shows how happy daddy is that you saved us. If he were here right now I know he would be smiling like in the picture." The girls then stepped back to their mother's side.

Abby sniffled and smiled to them the best she could, "It's a beautiful picture, and I'm sure your daddy is smiling down on you guys right now."

The girls smiled at the thought.

"We're sorry for your loss, Clay was a good agent," Gibbs said and nodded his head to Helen.

She smiled through her tears and nodded her head, "He was, and he often spoke of the infamous Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, maybe you didn't know it, but he idolized you and your team. He tried to shape his team after yours."

Gibbs was deeply touched by the comment. "I know he worked hard and did justice to everyone he served, we're sorry to have lost such a man."

Helen nodded and dabbed her eyes, "We've saved you and your teams seats at the front of the church, neither of us have much family left so we left the front open for his team and yours."

"Thank you," Ziva said with a smile and followed Tony and Gibbs into the church.

Tony and Gibbs wheeled Ducky and Abby over to the closed coffin which held Clay inside. Abby laid her hand on the polished wood and said a silent prayer. Ducky folded his hands in his lap and quietly whispered a prayer. When both Abby and Ducky looked up Tony and Gibbs wheeled them into the church and to the front pews. A few minutes later and only standing room was left. After everyone was seated, or found a place to stand, did the procession begin. The casket was wheeled ahead, flanked on all sides by his wife, children, and two brothers. Throughout the entire mass Abby and Ducky dabbed their eyes.

…………….

A soft breeze whirled through the cemetery where everyone was standing and listening to what the preacher had to say. After his final words and military salute. A short line formed, Helen and the kids were first with Ducky and Abby following. Each held a rose to place on the casket of Clay. Abby watched as Helen gingerly placed her flower on the lid and bent to kiss it. Tears slid from her cheeks and splashed against the wood. She let her hand linger on the lid as she began to shake with sobs. Her two daughters placed their flowers on the lid and then each took one of their mother's hands. The baby was asleep in the arms of his grandmother. Helen continued to stand and stare at the coffin.

"Don't worry mommy, daddy is in heaven now. He's with his daddy and his other family. He still loves us, I know it."

These words caused Helen to cry harder, but also smile. She allowed one of her family members to gently lead her away. The youngest daughter lingered by the coffin yet. Helen was going to get her, but another family member stopped her.

Abby was still close enough to hear what the little girl had to say.

"Daddy, everyone is sad down here without you, but I know I'll get to see you again someday. Mommy cries at night, but I know it's because she misses you. We're going to be strong daddy, you taught us to be strong. You made today a nice day just so that we would know you still love us. I love you daddy, and please be okay and tell mommy she can stop crying now." The girl smiled and placed her hand on the coffin one last time before going back to her mom and hugging her tightly.

Abby allowed Gibbs to wheel her up to the coffin and she gingerly placed her flower over the family's flowers. "Goodbye Clay, I hope you're okay up there. You left behind a beautiful family who will always miss you and love you. You were a good man and a good agent; we'll sure miss you around the building."

Ducky was next and placed his flower gingerly on the lid, "Though I barely knew you, I know I will remember you for the rest of my life. You're family is strong and proud. The last hours of your life were tense, but you saved your family and you saved us. I would give anything to be able to go back in time and change something, anything to allow you to survive. You'll be missed, and I'm sure you'll get tired of hearing that, but it's true." Ducky smiled lightly and nodded his head signaling for Tony to wheel him away.

Ducky and Abby were next to each other, holding hands and watching as the casket was lowered into the ground, Gibbs' hand tightened on Abby's shoulder and Abby reached her hand to rest on top of his and she leaned her head against their hands. Ducky stroked his thumb over Abby's knuckles in his own soothing fashion while Tony and Ziva stood close by, hands clasped together at their sides. McGee was standing next to Ducky and had his hand planted firmly on the older man's shoulder. Clay's casket disappeared in the hole that was dug for him and the funeral director motioned that it was time for everyone to leave the cemetery.

"You'll be at the reception, right? I wanted to talk to you guys a little bit." Helen asked as she approached Gibbs and his team. The youngest girl had taken an immediate liking to Abby and was standing a few feet from her, still sizing her up.

Gibbs nodded, "We'll stop by for a little bit, but these two should get some rest, as I'm sure you and your family should as well."

Helen sniffed and dabbed her eyes before smiling, "Thanks," she breathed and gathered her daughters close and walked them to the car where her mother was waiting with the baby.

………………..

Abby stifled a yawn as she was wheeled into the small gymnasium where lunch was being served.

"I told you you're tired," Tony scolded with a deep chuckle and tilted her chair back in a mock wheelie as he pushed her over the lip on the floor.

"Am not, just needed some more oxygen in my brain," she teased back.

Tony smirked and shook his head, "Whatever you say master," he said to her in a voice imitating Igor.

Abby chuckled and swatted at him as they swung to the side of the path to wait for Ducky and Gibbs. "Just wait until I get my crutches, then you'll be sorry."

Tony raised a brow, though she couldn't see his face behind her, "I'll count my blessings then Abbs."

"What shall you be counting your blessings for Anthony?" Ducky inquired as Gibbs pushed him into the hall followed by Ziva and McGee.

"Ah, nothing Duck, shall we?" he asked sweeping his arm to the side and allowed Ducky and the rest of the team to pass before he and Abby.

Gibbs and his team found a table against the wall that was empty. Ducky and Abby were situated across from one another on the end of the table with Gibbs and Tony sitting next to them. Ziva and McGee were sitting facing one another and talking softly amongst themselves. Abby had her head resting against Gibbs' arm as she listened to stories from Ducky. Tony watched as the people filed in and found places to sit, Tony was glad to see everyone was giving them space. One of the last few people to enter was Jenny, whom everyone, until that moment, had failed to notice at the funeral, and Helen and the kids. Both Jenny and Helen headed for Gibbs' table.

"Afternoon," Jenny greeted as she pulled up a chair to sit at the head of the table between Abby and Ducky. Both smiled at her.

"Afternoon Jen," Gibbs greeted with a nod and the rest of his team followed but substituted Director in place of Jenny.

Helen sat near the wall and next to Ziva while her daughters pulled up chairs to be around Ducky and Abby. "I apologize if we-"

"You're fine," Gibbs' team echoed breaking off her statement.

She smiled sadly at them, "It means a lot to be with you all and to know that you're all very fine and brave people. The last few days and week have been very hard. I know I've got a lot to deal with and so have you guys, but it still doesn't change my feeling of gratitude for you all, especially Dr. Mallard and Abigail."

"Please Mrs. Jenkins, Ducky will be just fine," the ME said to her, a faint hint of pink in his cheeks.

"And you can call me Abby," Abby added with a smile. She snaked her hand under her wheelchair handle and into Gibbs' lap to hold onto his, drawing comfort from him.

"Abby and Ducky, thank you so much. And Leroy and Tony and Ziva and Tim, you are all so wonderful. You managed to save my life as well as the lives of my children and I know Clay wouldn't want it any other way. We may all wish he was still here, but he has moved on to a place where he feels no pain and can watch over all of us. I know he is thanking you all from the very bottom of his heart." Helen stopped so that she could wipe at her eyes and blow into a napkin. One of her daughters came to her and took her hand, then looked to the team.

"Daddy is happy and has finally gotten his wings. Thank you for helping him do that."

Abby and Ducky both reached up to wipe the tears off their faces.

The youngest girl, still standing near Ducky and Abby gave them both a tight hug while whispering her thanks. No one at the table noticed how everyone in the room was silent and that the food was still sitting, untouched. Jenny stood then and stepped away from the table and to the head of the room.

"I have a few things to add," she looked to Gibbs and his team then. "Leroy Gibbs and his team have always been brave and showed outstanding skills in solving crimes, but all too often we sometimes forget about the ones who are in the background, working, sometimes harder than everyone else, to solve these crimes. They have been brought to the forefront in the past two weeks, in a way we wished hadn't happened, but nonetheless it has. And so here, today, I'd like to present Dr. Donald Mallard, a.k.a. Ducky to those close to him and Abigail Scuito, or Abby, a special outstanding bravery award, they had been with Clay in the final moments of his life and helped to keep a terrorist from succeeding in his plans. They are often pushed to the sidelines, but the truth of that matter is, they are the brains of team Gibbs while Leroy himself is the backbone and the gut of the team." Jenny smiled and pulled two golden medals from two black cases and walked them over to Abby and Ducky while the room exploded into applause.

"Thank you," Abby whispered, in shock and tears streaming down her cheeks as she accepted the medal.

"Thank you Director, though I say, I'm not sure I-"

"You do Duck and so do you Abby, she was right, you guys are the brains and the reason we solve the crimes we do, we're just the brute force." Gibbs added in sternly, cutting Ducky off and silencing any remark from Abby as well.

"He's right, you guys were held hostage and shot and you never backed down for a second, not even when Clay was about to give up, you guys talked him through it." Helen added.

Abby opened and closed her mouth, trying to form a sentence, "But we didn't take Herrera down and we didn't-"

"That doesn't matter Abbs, now shut-up and accept the award," Gibbs said cutting her off and smirked as his hand tightened on hers.

Abby smiled and wiped the tears from her cheeks, "Thank you so much, you have no idea what it means," she whispered.

Ducky reached across the table and Abby reached out with her free hand to clasp his, "My dear, we have been honored here today, but I feel like the real hero is Clay."

Jenny took the cue, "You're right Dr. Mallard, and he is recognized as a hero, a special plaque is being set up in his honor, as well as for other fallen agents. It's a project I've been working on for a while, and Helen along with some other members of the community are helping out with donations, it's finally going to put it in motion, you can also rest assured Kate's name will appear on it also."

At the mention of their fallen comrade, the team grew silent to reflect on their thoughts.

"Thank you director," Abby whispered as she closed her eyes and memories of her best friend came flooding back to her.

………………….

Gibbs pushed Abby over the threshold of his house and helped her onto the couch. They were both exhausted from the events of the day. Abby felt as though she had no water left in her and slumped against the couch back, her leg propped up on a footrest. Gibbs loosened his tie and fell into the couch.

"I'm so tired Gibbs," Abby mumbled, her eyes shut softly.

Gibbs smirked, "I know Abbs, so am I."

Abby let out a deep breath and opened her eyes and turned to face him, "Could you help me get out of this dress, I need something more comfortable."

Gibbs nodded, if it were any other circumstances other than just getting back from a funeral and an emotionally draining day, undressing Abby would have a whole other meaning. He carefully slid the dress down her torso and gingerly lifted her casted leg to fully remove the dress. He then rummaged around in her duffle bag for a pair of baggy shorts.

"I don't want those Gibbs; could I wear a pair of yours?"

Gibbs smirked, "Sure," he kissed her temple and went upstairs to grab a pair of his old shorts for her, and before coming down he changed into comfy clothes himself, he also grabbed the shirt she wore the night she spent with him when her ex-boyfriend was stalking her. "You hungry Abbs?" he asked as soon as he was finished helping her dress.

"No, I'm too tired to eat, could you come and sit with me, please?"

Gibbs nodded and sank into the couch next to her. Abby shifted herself into him. He put his arm snugly around her shoulders and hugged her close and kissed the top of her head.

"Gibbs, I love you," she breathed out as she fell into a deep sleep against his chest.

"Love you too Abbs," he said in a whisper to her hair.

**A/N: **So, what do you guys think? In retrospect it's not that sad, but then again you might have a different opinion, lol, which I look forward to in a review!! Let me know how you liked it! And stick around, because in some upcoming chapters there will be suspense and some more action, so just you wait! The story shall move a tiny bit faster now! Please leave a review!! :D Thanks so much!!


	12. Smooth Sailing?

**Disturbing Behavior**

**By: **Raven612

**Chapter 11: **Smooth Sailing?

**A/N: **Ah, here we are chapter 11 of this story, this little guy is drawing to a close soon, just a few more chapters and it is done. I know you'll be sad to see it go, but I am currently working on two other stories so that you won't hate me forever, lol. Of course they're both Abbycentric! So stick around because about three more chapters and this one is over…well maybe three chapters, might have to add one or two more, but I will see how far I get in my next chapters to determine if I need to add more, lol, okay so I'm done rambling and now on to the story!!!.

…….3 weeks later……

Abby stood awkwardly in the middle of the two metal bars, her knuckles were white from gripping them so hard, "How did you manage this Duck?" she called over her shoulder to where he lay getting his muscles massaged.

Ducky looked over at her and chuckled, "Abigail, I haven't been lucky enough to use the parallel bars yet, I'll be lucky if I get to them in the next six weeks."

"Oh," she moved her good leg forward, but hesitated with the injured one.

The therapist pushed on Abby's injured leg to coax her to move it forward, Abby hissed in pain and shot the therapist a look over her shoulder, "You have to move it Miss Scuito, otherwise the muscle will not be as strong as it used to be and you could possibly loose all ability to walk."

Abby furrowed her brows, "How come he gets a massage and I have to do this?"

The therapist, Dr. Helen, laughed, "Come on, just take one little step…using both legs."

Abby turned her head forward and sucked in a deep breath and let it out, she moved her good leg forward again, but this time, instead of actually using her injured leg she lifted her body and swung it ahead, not bending it at the knee like she was supposed to.

"That's not going to help ya Abbs," a gruff voice called from the doorway.

"Gibbs!" she chirped excitedly and whipped her head to the side to smile at him.

"Ah, Jethro, good to see you…again," Ducky called, he was now in a sitting position helped by two nurses and his therapist Dr. Andrew.

"Morning Duck, I see your sessions are going well," he went over to the ME then turned towards Abby.

"What…it hurts…a lot," she protested and allowed the nurse to ease her into a chair.

Dr. Helen sighed and shook her head, "It's going to hurt a lot more once we progress, we've been doing knee exercises the past few weeks so it shouldn't hurt that bad when you try to bend it."

Abby bit her lower lip, she had gotten used to the pain that shot through her leg and up her spine every time she bent her knee, but she was afraid that if she applied pressure to it, something might happen. "I know, but what if the tendon snaps again?"

Dr. Helen gave her a look, "Miss Scuito."

"Abby."

"Abby, I know you know that won't happen, you have to get over your fear and try to do what I ask, it's for your own good."

Abby sighed, "Okay, let's try it again."

Dr. Helen smiled and helped the nurse get Abby between the bars once more, "Okay, now just do baby steps, nothing fancy or quick, your road to healing is a long one and we're not going to rush down it."

Abby nodded, she looked down at her feet and watched as she moved her good leg forward a few inches, she then leaned on that side of her body and bent her other knee very little and managed to shuffle her other foot forward a few centimeters. She let out the breath she was holding and smiled, she looked up to see Gibbs grinning at her also, "Don't you have work to do?" she called.

Gibbs took a sip of his coffee, "I'm doing it, I was sent to check up on you two."

"Well Jethro we're doing fine," Ducky answered from his wheelchair where he waited for Dr. Andrew to finish discussing some things with his assistant.

"I can see that you are," Gibbs said with mild amusement.

"I'm doing just fine, one small step for Scuito-kind and one giant leap for…for well no one really but I'll let Bert take a giant leap for me."

Gibbs and Ducky chuckled, the doctors looked confused, but Dr. Andrew turned to Ducky, "Alright well I suppose we can try out the bike today, get those muscles toned up then we'll start your regiment of anti-inflatory medicines to clear the fluid that's building up around your spinal cord."

"Sounds good," Ducky answered and allowed the doctor to wheel him over to the specialized bike where his feet would be strapped to the pedals while an assistant moved the pedals for him.

Abby watched as Ducky was wheeled over to what looked like an ordinary workout bike, she then turned to her doctor, "He gets all the easy stuff," she mumbled and loosened her grip on the bars.

Dr. Helen sighed, "Okay Abby, now I want you to turn around and come back to this end where your chair is, then we'll do a cool-down session that works on your upper thigh muscles."

Abby sighed, "I suppose a piggyback ride would be cheating?" she directed her question to Gibbs who was standing between she and Ducky.

"Yes," he answered and went over to where she was to watch her progress.

"Right, thought so, okay Abby you are a Scuito, you can do this," she said to herself and using the bars and her good leg she managed to turn herself around to face the end where her chair was waiting for her, "come to mama sweet victory," she grinned and moved her good foot forward and shuffled her injured leg behind.

"Good progress, but the goal here is to get your knee to bend," Dr. Helen instructed and moved Abby's leg for her a few steps, each time Abby hissed in pain.

Gibbs watched his girl move forward slowly, each hiss and look of pain caused his heart to ache, he didn't want her to hurt and it was killing him inside to see what she, and ducky, had to endure just to be able to walk again.

"Come now Abigail, you can manage a few steps," Ducky called out to her.

Abby heard him and immediately felt bad, here she was moaning about an injured leg whereas Ducky was paralyzed…for the time being, "Don't worry Duckman, we're going to make it through this," she called back as she inched along between the bars.

Ducky smiled, "We will Abigail, we will," he then turned to the assistant moving the pedals on the bike to tell him how the bicycle came to be.

………………..

"Thanks for being so helpful Gibbs," Abby said as she wheeled herself up the ramp and into his front door.

"It's not a problem, I like having you around," he said to her in a teasing tone as he passed her to set the groceries in his arms on the counter in the kitchen.

Abby smiled after him, god how she loved him and wanted so badly to tell him, but she wasn't sure she could bear it if he didn't feel the same way, "What's for dinner?" she called from the living room/her bedroom.

"Grilled steak and veggies," he called out to her.

"Mmm, sounds wonderful," she sighed and wheeled herself to his counter that overlooked his kitchen to she could watch him prepare their meal.

Gibbs smiled to himself and began to prepare the steak and veggies for the grill, he went out onto the deck to start the grill and let it warm while he seasoned the steaks and veggies. "You wanna set the table?" he asked her, he knew she felt useless and so he tried to give her tasks to do around the house.

Abby smiled and wheeled herself to the threshold of the kitchen and allowed him to put plates, glasses, and silverware in her lap. His dining room table was low enough so that she could maneuver around it and place the dishes, "How is my lab coming along?"

Gibbs stopped his preparations and turned to her wiping his hands on a towel, he waited until she looked up at him, "They've got the debris cleared out, now they're just trying to figure out how to repair the damage."

Abby bit her lip for a moment, "Can I come see sometime?"

Gibbs grinned and went back to preparing the food, "As soon as you can walk again, then you can come see."

Abby crossed her arms and glared at his back, "That'll be forever, how about when I get my crutches in a few weeks?"

Gibbs turned back to her using his patented stare technique but she fought back with her own, he turned back to the food, "deal."

Abby smiled in triumph and watched as he worked. She must've been too silent because Gibbs turned around suddenly and Abby blushed, "Sorry, I was just zoning out, I'm going to go change," she backed herself up and began wheeling into her room.

"Need any help Abbs?"

"Naw, I got it," she called back, that was the first lesson she asked for, learning how to dress herself because she couldn't stand the electricity that would shoot through her when Gibbs's hands would skim her bare flesh. Her mind then suddenly raced back to her talks with Ducky about how she feels about Gibbs and what she should do.

………….

After dinner Gibbs stood at the sink doing the dishes while Abby changed into a pair of his old shorts and a baggy old tee shirt. She was flipping through channels when Gibbs came into the living room a can of beer for himself and some vitamin enhanced fruit drink for Abby, she eyed his can of beer and he smiled and took a long sip, "No alcohol for the invalid until you're off your meds."

"Ha ha," she muttered and dug through her coffin shaped purse for her three pill bottles.

Gibbs smiled at her and sank down into his sofa and propped his feet up on the coffee table. Abby took her meds and maneuvered her chair so she would have easy access to the couch, she put her brakes on and lifted herself from the chair and onto the sofa, a hiss of pain sounded harshly as her injured leg bent at the knee, no longer supported by the sling type thing on her chair. Gibbs was pushing himself up to help her but she reached over and squeezed his hand, "Don't Gibbs, I can to this," she hissed and concentrated on bending the knee of her injured leg slowly so that she could prop it up on the coffee table. Gibbs watched her, ready to spring into action if the need arose. After five minutes Abby had managed to get her leg on top of the pillow on the coffee table, "told you I could get it," she said to him with a smile.

Gibbs grinned and pulled her into his chest and kissed the top of her head, "You're a tough one Abbs; I had no doubts."

Abby snuggled into him and breathed in his scent and smiled happily, "We're going to be okay Gibbs, you'll see, Ducky and I are going to be just fine…" she trailed there as her meds began to take their affect on her and make her drowsy.

Gibbs sat with her for two hours while she drifted in and out of dreamless sleep, stroking her hair in a comforting manner. A little after midnight Gibbs decided it would be best for him and Abby to get some much needed sleep. He carefully extracted himself from her and stood up. He threw his beer can away and cleaned up the glasses from Abby's juice. He then gently lifted Abby so that he could lay her on the couch in a more comfortable manner. He used two couch pillows to prop her leg up and pulled the afghan from the back of his couch and tucked it around her body. Before going up to his own bed he dimmed the lap on the table next to the couch and kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight Abbs," he whispered against her skin and stroked her bangs from her face as he turned and went up to his own room.

….two hours later….

Gibbs shot up in his bed, the images of his nightmare slowly drifting away. He had dreamed that Abby had been killed and that while at her funeral she had risen from her coffin and pulled him under with her. He concentrated on getting his breathing under control. He was just lying down again when the first scream sounded from downstairs. He jumped from his bed and grabbed his gun, checking to make sure there were bullets in it he ran into the hallway.

"DUCKY NOOOOOOO!!!!!!" Abby shouted and began to thrash around on the couch; her legs were tangled in the blanket.

Gibbs rushed down the stairs and put his gun on the table and eased himself under her moving form. "Abby, Abby, wake up, it's only a dream."

Abby let another scream and tried to fight Gibbs off, but he held her close, "Get off of me," she yelled and tried to push him away.

"Abby settle down it's only me," he said this words right next to her ear, she finally seemed to hear him and came too slowly.

"Gibbs?" she croaked and untangled herself from the blanket, and hissed when a sudden wave of pain from her leg shot through her body. Gibbs hugged her closer and kissed her temple.

"That's the third nightmare this week, want to talk about it?"

Abby cuddled in closer to his chest, resting her ear over the sound of his heartbeat, she counted the beats for a minute before turning her gaze to look up at him, "It's always the same dream, it starts with Clay shooting and killing Ducky then he turns the gun on me and you shove me out of the bullet's path and you take the hit…then I wake up because I don't want to know if you're dead or alive." Abby shivered at the thought.

Gibbs pulled the blanket off the floor and draped it over her, "Nothing it going to happen to any of us, Herrera is behind bars and he can't touch us or anyone else."

"I know Gibbs, but when I wake up and I can't see you I get the feeling that you really are gone," her voice had started to sound watery and Gibbs knew that she was holding back tears, "and Ducky too."

"We're not going anywhere Abbs, Tony is at Ducky's right now, do you want me to call him?"

Abby shook her head, "Don't wake them, just…just hold me a little longer?" she asked sheepishly.

Gibbs smiled and hugged her tightly, "Sure thing Abbs."

Abby smiled into his chest, "Gibbs, if I tell you something right now, will you promise not to laugh?"

"I promise."

Abby took in a deep breath and turned her head so that she could see his face, "Gibbs, I love you."

Gibbs smiled down at her, "I love you too Abbs."

She crinkled her brow, "No Gibbs, I mean I love you, like I'm in love with you," she let out a sigh and sagged against him, "I have been for a really long time."

Gibbs was speechless; he had been wanting to say the same thing to her but couldn't for fear of what it could possibly do to their relationship.

"Gibbs?" Abby ventured weakly and began to push herself away from him, hurt that he hadn't responded to her.

"I've wanted to tell you that same exact thing for the past eight years, but just couldn't do it," he finally admitted.

Abby was shocked and she wasn't sure she heard him right, "Ducky was right," was finally what she said with a small chuckle.

Gibbs too laughed, "He told me to stop being such a hardass and tell you."

Abby laughed and tears streamed from her eyes, "He told me to stop being afraid and tell you."

Gibbs hugged her closer and pulled her up so that he could press a kiss to her forehead, "You sure I'm not too old for you."

Abby swatted him, "Gibbs," she protested, "I like older men."

Gibbs smiled, he wanted to kiss her right then, but their current positions didn't allow for it, so Abby snuggled into his lap, "Tell me about Shannon and Kelly?" she ventured as he stroked her hair.

If were anyone else rather than Abby Gibbs would've locked up and thrown away the key, but instead he found that the words came easily to him, he knew Abby was never going to replace them and she knew that too, but he loved her just as much as he had loved his first wife and their daughter.

………………….

**A/N: **So? How did you like it? I thought it was pretty good and I'm proud of it, lol, but I want your guys' thoughts on it! So review and I shall try to pump out some more chapters as soon as possible!!


	13. Rain Falls

**Disturbing Behavior**

**By: **Raven612

**Chapter 12: **Rain Falls

**A/N: **Well here it is kiddies, chapter twelve, one more chapter closer to the end of this story. Only a few more chapters until this story is over…not too sure yet if there will be a sequel because I've already got another story in the making, but we'll see. Well here's rambling, just like Abby, now I am stopping and getting on with the story.

…….2 weeks later……..

Abby chewed her bottom lip nervously, she was sitting on Gibbs' couch, and the TV was just noise in the background. Thunder clapped as a spring storm poured on outside. She had just finished talking to Ducky on the phone, who had given her some chilling news. Ducky was guessing that if anyone was coming to justify the capture of their leader it would be soon as the trial was only a few days away where Ducky, Abby, and the rest of the people that were a part of the incident were due to appear and give statements. Gibbs was in the office, he just had to make a quick run, and Abby was guessing that since Gibbs hadn't called to check in with her, he hadn't heard Ducky's latest theory.

The sudden ringing of Gibbs' home phone made her jump, she grabbed her crutch resting on the arm of her chair so that she could limp over to it, just as she reached out to grab it the power in the house went out, "Uh oh," Abby breathed as an eerie silence settled around her. Abby hopped back from the counter awkwardly using her crutch. She squinted her eyes in the darkness, trying to determine if someone else was with her, "Ducky," she gasped suddenly and felt her pockets for her cell phone.

"Looking for this?" a cold voice sounded from above her, her cell phone fell in pieces in front of her as a man stepped down a few stairs, a sadistic smile on his face, two more men moved on either side of her.

Abby hopped in a circle, supporting herself on her one crutch, "You guys are making a big mistake, Gibbs is going to be really pissed when he comes home, which he should be home soon…" Abby trailed and hopped her way to the couch as the three men advanced on her.

"Gibbs has been taken care of, he won't bother us, looks like you're a little lame?" the man from the stairs smiled as he walked closer to her and reached out a hand.

Abby tried to get away, but her back was firm against Gibbs' couch, "The only one lame here is you three," she shot back.

The man smiled and the other two men closed in on Abby's left and right, guns drawn and pointed at her, "I don't think you're in the position to be making comments such as that, Ms. Scuito."

"What did you mean before; when you said Gibbs had been 'taken care of?'"

The man smirked, "Let's just say that when he does come around, he'll have one hell of a headache, but he won't be in time, we're quick, and painless…that is if you cooperate with us."

Abby swallowed, she couldn't fathom how she could stall the men until Gibbs could come to her rescue, her leg still wasn't healed enough for her to put her full weight on it and so she wasn't sure if she could make a hasty exit. She gripped her crutch tightly and concentrated on holding the leader's eye, goad him to stall her imminent death.

* * *

Gibbs hadn't wanted to leave Abby alone in his house, but he had to get the files for the Herrera case together, he called Tony in to help him, Ziva was at Ducky's, and McGee was en-route to Gibbs'. Gibbs' phone rang, pulling him and Tony from their silent work. Tony looked up and watched as his boss answered the phone, he cocked his head to the side listening for what was being said.

"Yeah, Gibbs," he barked.

_"Jethro, it's Donald, I'm afraid you may not like the news I have for you."_

"I'm listening Duck."

_"I have a feeling that if someone is going to come for us, all of us, even Clay's family, they will be com-"_ and the line went dead and a dial tone met Gibbs' ear.

Gibbs slammed his receiver down, "Tony, call Ziva," Gibbs ordered as he dialed his home phone.

Tony looked confused, but knew better than to question his boss and so he flipped his phone open, but Ziva's cell was turned off, "She's got her phone switched off, you want me to call the Mallard home?"

Gibbs looked up, startled, mid ring his call had ended leading him to believe the power in his house was cut. He opened his drawer and grabbed his gun; Tony did the same sensing that something was going on. "Tony, you go make sure Ducky and Ziva are alright, I'll go to my place." As Gibbs shouted his order he flipped his phone open and dialed McGee's number, but his call went straight to voicemail.

"On it boss," Tony made sure his gun was loaded and he and Gibbs made a beeline for the parking garage.

Gibbs and Tony were first struck by the heavy darkness in the garage, usually lights kept the garage lit 24/7. Gibbs pulled his gun and waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness before he moved, Tony did the same. Gibbs had a very bad feeling in his gut and his eyes darted all around the garage, trying to spot anything out of the ordinary.

"Well I think I know why the lights are out," Tony pointed up; all the lights had been smashed.

A sudden crunching of broken glass had both Gibbs and Tony whipping to the right, and just as they did so two men whacked them over their heads with metal bats. The men quickly drug them to a far corner and quickly duct taped their hands and feet together and took their guns.

"Why don't we kill them?" one of the men asked.

"They are not our main concern, Herrera only had files on the black haired woman and the doctor, and these two mean nothing."

"So then why not kill them?"

"Because those are not our orders!" the other man snapped and backhanded the one asking all the questions.

The other man stumbled back and rubbed his jaw.

"Easy Jose and Paulo, we will be finished soon and Herrera will be back in Cuba," a third man said as he stepped from the shadows, kicking the glass he stepped on out of his way.

The man who had been backhanded pressed a button on his walkie-talkie, contacting another man, "Have you taken care of the other agent?"

A crackling noise was heard before a distorted Hispanic voice answered back, "His car is embedded into the truck of a very large tree."

All three men smiled, "We are done here, let's go," he kicked the feet of Gibbs and Tony before walking towards their van parked on the other side of the garage.

"Where to now?"

"We have a duck to fry," he said and smiled and contacted the man he had on site at Ducky's house who had cut the power for them.

The other two men smiled and checked their belts, making sure their guns were handy, "Poor dark haired woman, she has no chance," Paulo sneered as he flicked her picture onto the cement near the two agents.

"Was it necessary to send all three of them for her, she is alone," Jose said as he started the van.

The leader glared at him, "Do not question me or the plan, if we fail then Herrera has no chance," to make his point he snapped his seatbelt into its slot loudly.

Jose nodded and stomped on the gas as he and his fellow men shot out into the rainy night, their next target on their minds.

……………….

Jenny closed the folder she had been looking at and leaned back in her chair rolling her neck to loosen her stiff muscles. She found her discarded shoes with her bare feet and slipped them back on. The file she held contained all the information there was on Herrera and she was going to drop it off for Gibbs and Tony to look through again. She grabbed all her things and went to say goodbye to the two agents down in the bullpen, the first thing that struck her when she was out on the stairs was seeing both Gibbs and Tony's chairs pushed back and both with their coats still on the back. It was a little after 1700 and there were very few agents still left downstairs.

Jenny approached the first one she saw, "Agent Geller, have you seen Agents DiNozzo or Gibbs?"

Agent Geller looked up, startled, "Uhm, Special Agent Gibbs got a phone call and shortly after hanging up he became frantic and he and Agent DiNozzo grabbed their guns and rushed from the building."

Jenny nodded, "Thank you," she turned on her heel and went towards the elevator.

…………………..

"Ducky, are you okay?" Ziva called as she made her way towards him. The power in the house had suddenly gone off and Ziva shot up and had her gun in her hands.

"I'm fine, go get mother," he wheeled himself backwards and then forwards so that he would be in the living room.

"Stay there and don't move. If you are correct and whoever did this are after you then they know what they are doing and I am sure they are very skilled as they are Herrera's men," Ziva patted his leg as she backed towards the stairs to check on Ducky's mother.

"Oh brother, just what I need," Ducky mumbled under his breath as he fidgeted with his fingers, he hoped that Abby was doing alright and that McGee had reached her in time, otherwise she would be alone to face her attacker.

"Dr. Mallard?" a voice asked from behind some curtains.

Ducky whipped his head to the right where the voice was coming from, "Who is it?"

"Your worst nightmare doc, sorry it has to end this way."

"So am I," Ziva said and pulled her trigger getting the man in his shoulder making him drop his weapon, Ziva quickly kicked his gun away.

"Put your weapon down or else the doctor will die," another man ordered and pressed his gun to her temple and the cocking of another gun just behind Ducky could be heard.

"I do not think so," she seethed.

"Oh he will die, and so will you," yet another voice sounded from the front of Ducky's house.

Ziva was just about to answer her attacker, but the breaking of glass distracted her and her attacker, she took the opportunity and kicked her attacker making him drop his gun which she dove for and pressed to his head.

"What was that, Paulo?" the man standing behind Ducky asked looking over his shoulder and took an involuntary step back.

Ziva shot her attacker in the chest and then shot the other man behind Ducky.

"Donald, what is going on down here?" an elderly voice sounded from the base of the stairs.

"Mother?" Ducky asked, he was still shaken up from the ordeal, but he had known Ziva would take care of it.

"Donald, are you throwing a party?"

"Mrs. Mallard, please get upstairs," Ziva said as she went to the downed men, none had been killed, but merely wounded and unarmed.

Mrs. Mallard looked between Ziva and Ducky, "Use protection Donald," she called and groped around in the dark for the railing to lead her upstairs.

"Oh mother," Ducky mumbled and hung his head and shook it, he then backed up and ran over a fallen man's hand.

"Ow!" the man shouted and struggled to sit up, holding his wounded shoulder.

Ziva just finished securing the two men near her and was moving onto the ones behind Ducky, "You will sit still until our boss gets here, then I cannot promise you leaving here alive," Ziva seethed as she bent down and jerked the man around by his wounded shoulder.

"Get off of me you dirty Jew," the man spat in her face.

Ziva kicked him in his abdomen and elbowed his back when he bent over grabbing his stomach, "You piece of shit, how dare you," she jerked him back up by his shoulder and ripped the man's sleeves off so that she could use them to secure his hands behind his back.

"You may have saved one life, but what about the other, she is alone," the man said with a laugh.

Ziva kicked him again and told herself it was a lie meant only to distract her, "Shut-up," she ordered and pushed Ducky away from all the men to make sure he would be safe and she went back for the fourth man. He was still unconscious, rendered so by the bottle of bourbon Mrs. Mallard had used to hit him over the head with. Ziva used her jacket to tie the man's hands behind his back and she placed him with the others. "How many of you have come?"

All four men looked at her, and all stayed silent.

"I will not ask nicely again, how many of you came?"

None of the men answered her, the man with the wound to the chest passed out.

Ziva inclined her head towards the man, "He will die, now answer my question," she bent down and squeezed one of the men's injured shoulders.

"Ahh," he screamed out and tried to lash out at her.

Ziva squeezed the leg of one of the other men where she had shot him, "Answer me now," she whispered harshly.

"There are seven of us, four here and three at the other location, the girl with the dark hair is dead, she had no chance, she was alone."

Ziva's eyes went wide, "McGee, what did you do to McGee?"

"Who in the hell is McGee, we tied up two agents and the other one had a little auto accident."

Ziva swore in Hebrew under her breath as she stood, she grabbed her cell phone from the coffee table where she had it; she turned it on and called the local LEOs first so that she could be sure the four men would be taken care of. Once she contacted them she dialed Gibbs' house, but there was no ringing. She tried Abby's cell next; straight to voicemail. Her next call was to Gibb's cell phone, it rang a few times before going to voicemail; he had left it on his desk. "Damnit," she seethed and threw her phone down onto the floor, breaking it.

"Ziva, what's wrong?" Ducky asked wheeling himself into the doorway.

"Abby is in severe danger, she is alone and there are three men at Gibbs'."

"Oh no, did you-"

"Yes, no answer, Ducky what are her chances of survival?"

Ducky was ashen, a sudden crack of thunder made him jump, "She'll be okay Ziva," he didn't want to think about Abby being hurt or even killed.

"She is alone, Ducky, and she is injured, now tell me, what are her chances?"

Ducky frowned, "Knowing Abby, her chances are very slim…she could possibly….Ziva she will be okay."

Ziva knew Ducky didn't want to answer and she didn't want to know the answer, "As soon as the police get here, I'm going to make sure she is alright."

Ducky nodded, "We must pray for her then my dear, she needs all the help she can get."

Ziva nodded and paced, her gun at her hip and her eyes watching her captives.

…………………….

McGee had noticed the car following him shortly after he left NCIS. He drove around town hoping to lose it somewhere, but it kept up with him. McGee knew he should get to Gibbs' house, but he knew that the car was following him for a reason. He took a left and found himself in a suburban part of the city. The rain streamed down and lightning lit the street, illuminating large oak trees lining the block and the large houses that were in their shadows. McGee checked his review mirror and noticed the car was closer.

"Damn," McGee murmured and sped up.

The car behind him did the same, but this time it bumped McGee's rear end and managed to get its front end wedged beneath McGee's bumper, the car sped up and turned to the left causing McGee to fishtail. McGee stomped on the gas and tried to peel out of the neighborhood, but the car that was following him sped up and clipped McGee's bumper sending him over the curb and into the trunk of one of the looming Oak trees.

"Should not speed up, the faster you go the easier it is to make a mistake," the man in the other car chuckled as he passed by the wreckage, already he noticed house lights coming on as their occupants came to see what the noise was. The man smiled and turned around, he had to go and help two other men with the dark haired woman.

…………………….

"You are trying to stall us, but it won't work because we have taken care of anyone who could come to your rescue." The leader of the three men said and traced Abby's jaw line with his finger.

"What did you do to them?" she asked between her teeth.

"Incapacitated them, they won't bother us, now we've got orders to kill you, but you are too beautiful for such a thing."

Abby shivered, "Go rot in hell, I know they'll come and get you," Abby gripped her crutch tightly and leaned all her weight on her good foot and used the back of the couch to support herself, she then lifted her crutch and used it to hit all three men, disarming one and distracting them all so that she could push past them and into Gibbs' kitchen.

"Not so fast," one of the men growled and grabbed her crutch causing her to fall to the floor.

Abby ignored the pain in her injured thigh and grabbed onto the counter and hauled herself up so that she was standing. The three men were facing her again and all had their guns holstered, Abby noticed, "Are you creeps so confident that you can get me without your guns?"

"You are lame and alone, we do not need guns unless absolutely necessary."

"Is that so?" Abby asked as she inched along Gibbs' counter, keeping her eyes trained on her attackers. Her fingers grouped along the counter until they found the block of wood where Gibbs kept his knives. Her hand closed around the handle of a large butcher knife.

"We can take her back to Cuba with us, Herrera did say he thought she was beautiful and would make a good wife," one of the men said, and when he did so he looked towards the other men.

Abby noticed that they were distracted for a moment and quickly as a bolt of lightning lit the sky she plunged the knife into the chest of the man closest to her and pushed herself away from the counter and broke through them. The men went to their fallen comrade and pulled the knife from his chest and the man screamed and gurgled as blood pooled in his mouth.

"Get the bitch," the leader shouted.

The uninjured man looked behind him and noticed that Abby had managed to pull herself across the floor and to Gibbs' sofa where she pulled herself to her feet. Both men had their guns drawn; the leader fired the first shot. Abby jumped as she felt the whoosh of the bullet pass her head. She used the couch as support and kept her gaze locked on the stairs. She pushed herself from the sofa, propelling herself towards the stairs, she reached out to grab the banister to stop herself from hitting the floor.

"You cannot get away," the leader said and reached her in two steps and yanked her back by her hair.

Abby let out a gasp and reached back with her hands and scratched at the man's hand to let her hair go, "You're so dead when Gibbs gets here."

The man laughed and threw hew against the stairs and stood over her, "How many times do I have to tell you, no one is going to rescue you," he trained his gun on her.

Abby's hip throbbed with pain and she could feel the blood running down the back of her neck where her head had struck a stair, "Go to hell," she hissed and pulled herself up two stairs.

"I'll take you with me," he smiled and pulled the trigger.

………………………..

A/N: So what do you think? I put a little action back into the story and then decided to end it with a cruel cliffy! Review and let me know what you thought of this chapter :D thanks for reading!!


	14. Miracle

**Disturbing Behavior**

**By: **Raven612

**Chapter 13: **Miracle

**A/N: **Alright, here's the exciting chapter thirteen, so is thirteen going to be lucky or will another person die? I don't know so why not go ahead and read to find out….I'll also expect a review once you finish reading, enjoy!

* * *

Gibbs awoke with a start and tried to raise a hand to rub the sore spot on the back of his head, but he soon found that his hands were bound tightly behind his back and his feet were taped together. He glanced over to his left where Tony still lay unconscious and bound in the same way. He looked out ahead of him and waited for the stars to clear from his vision. His eyes shot around in the darkness, he knew his attackers were gone, but he couldn't be sure how long he was out. He spotted the picture of Abby near his feet and his heart stopped, what had happened to her? Was she alright? Had McGee reached her in time? All these thoughts whirled around Gibbs' still foggy mind and threatened to knock him out again. He calmed himself down and took deep breathes through his nose as his mouth was taped shut. A groaning noise reached Gibbs' ears and he looked over to find his senior agent coming too. Gibbs used the wall behind him to scoot closer to Tony.

Tony's head hurt like hell and his hands were aching from the lack of blood in them. Wait, why were his hands aching and why couldn't he move his feet. He felt something moving next to him and looked over and found his boss bound and gagged and then memories of only minutes ago came flooding back. Tony struggled against his restraints, he had to get free; he had to see if Abby was okay. Gibbs had inched himself back against the wall and tried to use the rough bricks behind him to his advantage. Tony and Gibbs stopped their frantic movements when the clicking of shoes was heard a few yards ahead of them. Then the voice of the Director drifted towards them.

* * *

It took Jenny a few moments to realize why the lights in the parking garage were out. The clicking of her heels died and she stopped, waited and listened to the noises around her to ascertain if she were alone or not. A slight ruffling noise caught her off guard and she jumped.

"Agent Gibbs, Agent DiNozzo?" she called into the deep darkness. A clap of thunder made her heart skip a beat. She looked to her left and right; her eyes had now become accustomed to the darkness. She heard the same ruffling noise as before, but she couldn't be sure if it was caused by the storm…or something else more sinister.

"Tony, Jethro!" she called a bit more forcefully this time…she should've brought her key-chain with, she had a small flashlight attached to it and her sig.

Jenny stopped walking and listened once more, this time she tried to hear something other than the sound of rain and wind outside the garage. There it was again, the same rustling noise as before. She approached the source of the noise with caution, not sure what was waiting for her. Her mouth dropped open once she rounded the corner and found both Gibbs and Tony bound and gagged.

"Oh my God, what is going on?" she snapped as she dropped to her knees and helped to free the agents, ignoring the look in Gibbs' face when she asked her question.

Jenny pulled the tape from Tony's mouth and he let out a wounded yelp, "Hurry, we need to see if Abby and Ducky are okay," Tony said in a rushed tone and was struggling with Jenny trying to free himself faster.

Jenny tore the tape from Gibbs' mouth and he didn't flinch, "Hurry," he muttered and stayed still until Jenny freed his hands and he pulled out a knife and cut the tape binding his feet together and cut the rest of Tony's restraints.

"What is going on? Why would Ducky and Abby be in danger?" she asked as she helped them to their feet, both were a little dizzy from the whack to the head.

"Herrera's men are after them, we don't have time to waste. Tony and Je-Director go to Ducky's make sure he and Ziva are alright, I'm going to check on McGee and Abby."

Tony wanted to argue, but he knew Gibbs was capable of handling everything, "They're going to be fine," Tony said more so for himself than anything.

Gibbs nodded and took off to the other end of the garage; he knew that like himself, Tony had a spare gun in his car. Gibbs also trusted that Tony would explain to Jenny what was going on. Gibbs wretched the door to his car open and jumped into the driver's seat he shoved his key into the ignition and started his car and whipped out of the garage and into the stormy night.

* * *

"What the hell is going on agent DiNozzo?" Jenny asked as she slid into the passenger's seat.

Tony leaned down and pulled a sig from under his seat and opened his glove box and handed Jenny another sig. "I'm not too sure what's going on, Ducky called Gibbs to warn him about Herrera's men coming soon and then the line went dead. We tried to call everyone but everyone's phone went to voicemail right away and Gibbs' landline wasn't even active. We ran out here to go check on Abby and Ducky then we got whacked over the head with a baseball bat….at least I think it was a bat."

Jenny checked to make sure her gun was loaded and looked over at the agent, "Ziva can handle anything, what about Abby, was anyone with her?"

Tony clutched the wheel tighter, he had a feeling Ziva could handle herself and Ducky with no problem, it was Abby and McGee he was more worried about, "I'm not sure, McGee's phone went straight to voicemail…I don't even know if he made it to Gibbs' place."

Jenny went ashen, "Why wouldn't he have made it?"

Tony sighed as he whipped out of the garage only a few feet behind Gibbs, "Before I completely passed out I heard the guys talking on a walkie-talkie and they said someone had gotten into an accident."

"Oh God, you think it was McGee?"

Tony sighed again and gunned his engine, "I don't know, we'll find out soon," he said and screeched around a corner.

Jenny held onto his door handle to keep from flying all over the car, "They'll be alright Tony, Ziva is one helluva fighter and so is Abby."

Tony's brows furrowed, "Yeah, but Ziva isn't injured and on crutches…even if she was I bet she could kill a man a hundred different way with them," Tony smirked slightly with his comment as he screeched around another corner nearing Ducky's house.

Jenny watched through the rain streaked window and let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding when the flashing of blue and red lights greeted she and Tony, "They're okay," Jenny breathed and got out of the car as soon as Tony stopped.

Tony looked around the officers and spotted Ziva huddled under a heavy blanket outside of an ambulance, she was soaked, Tony jogged over to her.

"Tony," she breathed and allowed him to hug her quickly, "we are alright, how is Abby?"

"I don't know, Gibbs is on his way now, how is Ducky?"

"He is unharmed and inside trying to calm his mother down, have you found McGee?"

Tony took a step back and noticed Jenny going into the house, most likely to check on Ducky, "What happened to McGee?"

"He was in an accident, the men that came to kill Ducky told me. I don't know where he is though."

Tony cursed under his breath, "Let's go, the Director can take care of things here, we have to make sure Abby is alright and try to find McGee."

"But where do you think he ended up?"

Tony jumped into his car and waited for Ziva to close her door before he tore out of Ducky's neighborhood, "I don't know he's smart so there's no telling where he led his follower."

"You think he knew someone was following him?"

Tony was growing a little annoyed with all her questions, "He's a smart kid Ziva, I'm sure he figured it out and led them away from Abby, but to where I have no idea."

Ziva nodded and prayed that Timothy would be okay.

* * *

The first thing McGee noticed was that he was soaking wet. The next was that the front end of his car was buried into the trunk of a rather large tree. He struggled to free himself from his seatbelt and groaned in pain when he tried to move his feet. The next thing he became aware of were hands, hands were trying to pull him from his car and then the voices, they started out as dull throbs in his ears but soon he could hear many voices all shouting at one another giving and receiving directions.

"What happened?" he asked, not knowing he asked it out loud he was surprised to get an answer.

"You were in an accident sir, just hold on, we have to free your legs," a male voice said to his left.

McGee tilted his head in the direction of the voice, he had trouble keeping his eyes open against the rain, "Accident?" he questioned again, his mind was still foggy from when his head struck the windshield.

"It seems someone ran you off the road," the paramedic said and stepped to the side to allow a fireman in to try and get McGee's legs free.

"Oh God, Abby," McGee suddenly remembered what had happened and started to struggle to get free of his car.

"Sir, you need to remain still," the paramedic said to him in a stern voice and clamped his hands onto McGee's shoulders.

"I need to make sure Abby is okay," McGee shot at him and tried to wriggle out from under his crushed dashboard.

"Sir calm down, was she in the car with you?"

"No, she's at our boss' house, I was on my way to make sure she was okay," McGee let out in a breath and stopped his squirming and let the fireman cut into the side of his car.

"You have more to worry about right now sir, we're taking you to Bethesda," another paramedic said as he wheeled over a stretcher.

"You don't know my boss," McGee muttered and had no choice but the let them all do what they could to free him.

* * *

"Did you try his cell again?" Ziva asked as she and Tony skidded around a corner.

Tony's fingernails dug into the leather of his steering wheel as he kept from making a biting remark to Ziva as she asked a third time, "I already told you his phone is dead or off; all I get is his voicemail."

Ziva nodded curtly and sat up straighter in her seat as they came onto Gibbs' street. Tony let out a sigh when he noticed Gibbs had come home already, but an explosion of light from the living room window had he and Ziva both gasping, "Stop Tony," she shouted and didn't wait for the car to be fully stopped before she jumped out and made for the front door.

"Damn fool woman," Tony cursed as he slammed his car into park and followed her.

……………………………………………..

The stair next to Abby's head exploded as her attacker missed her once again, but then a stinging sensation followed by cool liquid on her cheek made her jerk into action once more.

"Damn," the man cursed and aimed his gun at her once more.

Abby was at a loss for what she could do to get away from him and the other two, she started scrambling up the stairs again, though she wasn't sure how much help that would be to her. The man noticed and was about to squeeze his trigger once more, but the slamming of the front door and sudden clap of thunder made him jump and Abby gasped.

"Lower your weapon," Gibbs shouted as he advanced on the man.

The man smiled, "Ah, agent Gibbs, it seems you are outnumbered, so maybe you should listen to me."

"I don't think so," he said through clenched teeth, he glanced at Abby quickly to make sure she was alright. All Gibbs could see in the sudden flash of light was a cut on her cheek flowing with blood.

The man turned back to Abby, obviously he had no idea what Leroy Jethro Gibbs was capable of, "Now you die dark angel," he smiled and pulled the trigger again and simultaneous gunshots pounded in Abby's ears.

Abby squeezed her eyes shut and faintly heard voices beyond the ringing in her ears.

"Abby, Abby," a familiar voice yelled at her.

She was afraid to open her eyes, afraid of what she might see, she had heard three gun shots and she had only known two men with guns, "Gibbs?" she asked and lifted her hands from their death grip on the step that her hip rested on.

"He's here, Abby why don't you open your eyes?" the voice asked, Abby recognized it now and obeyed, "hey beautiful, get yourself into another mess?"

Abby grinned and pushed herself from the stairs and into Tony's arms, she looked over her shoulder to where Ziva was busy cuffing the two other men, she then searched for Gibbs, "Tony, where is Gibbs?" she asked pushing away from him.

"He's outside," he answered and helped her from the stairs, Abby noticed her attacker was nowhere to be seen either.

Abby gave him a quizzical look as she hobbled over to retrieve her fallen crutches; that's when she noticed the red and blue lights outside the window. "Tony, did I pass out?" she could've sworn she only shut her eyes for a second.

"You were out for a few minutes, I was just coming in to check on you when I noticed you starting to wake up, helluva time to take a nap Abbs," he joked lightly while helping her outside.

The storm had let up and now a light drizzle coated the night. Tony helped her to an open ambulance to get her cheek stitched up. Abby looked around for Gibbs and finally, much to her relief, found him getting a patchwork job himself.

"What happened to Gibbs?" she asked and nodded in his direction just as he looked up and saw her, he started to break away from the paramedic so he could check on her.

Tony looked over his shoulder then back to Abby, "He got clipped by a bullet, nothing serious, just a gash on his arm."

Abby's eyes widened, "Just a gash Tony? He could've been killed," she said and winced when the paramedic applies an antiseptic to her cheek.

"Abby, Abby, you okay?" Gibbs asked as he shoved past Tony.

Abby smiled, and then frowned as the stinging in her cheek worsened, "Just a scratch, nothing too serious," she smiled then sucked in a breath when the paramedic applied butterfly bandages to her cheek.

Once the paramedic and Tony stepped away Gibbs gathered Abby into his arms and hugged her tightly to him, "I had quite the scare tonight," he whispered into her ear, his lips touching it faintly.

Abby tightened her arms around him and turned her head into the crook of his neck, "Is everything over?"

Gibbs sighed and stepped back so that he could look her in the face, "I honestly don't know, but I'm going to keep you safe," he leaned in and kissed her forehead.

Abby smiled at the familiar action, "I know you will Gibbs, you always do."

Gibbs rested his forehead against hers and let out a sigh, "I love you Abbs," he whispered, the words caressing her face.

Abby smiled and snuggled deeper into him, "I love you agent Gibbs," she murmured into his chest and shuddered as he let herself relax.

Someone clearing their throat caught Abby and Gibbs' attention. "What?" he grumbled as he and Abby turned to Ziva, who look awkward as she stood before them.

"I just received a call from Bethesda, it seems McGee was in a car accident, he is okay, but they are keeping him over night for observations."

"How is Ducky?" she asked suddenly anxious.

"Ducky is okay too, he is with Director Shepard."

"Can we go see McGee?" she asked hopefully.

Gibbs let out a sigh, "We'll visit him tomorrow, it's late right now and I'm sure he's resting, which is what we should all be doing," with his last few words he looked directly and menacingly at Tony and Ziva.

"I'll finish up the paperwork tomorrow morning," Tony said and stepped forward to give Abby a huge hug, "I'm glad you're okay," he whispered to her.

Abby smiled as she returned the hug, "I love you Tone."

Gibbs snaked and arm around her waist and pulled her back to him, at this point he didn't care about the PDA, he had come within an inch of losing her tonight and he wanted to keep her close, to keep her safe.

Ziva smiled and nodded to them, "I will see you tomorrow, yes? I'm glad you are okay Abby."

Abby smiled at the assassin and was touched by her words, "Thank you Ziva, not just for my life but Ducky's as well," she opened her arms and gave Ziva a tight hug.

"Come on, let's get inside and get some rest. You've had quite the night," Gibbs said as he tugged Abby along towards his house, the ambulances and police cars started to leave as they walked towards the front door.

**A/N: **OMG!! I am soooo sorry that this chapter took so long to get up, I honestly didn't mean for it to take nine thousand years! If you are all still reading this story I am sooo touched and I hope you find it in your hearts to forgive me and review this chapter, once again so sorry it took so long!! I love you all, hehe.


	15. We Will Rise Again

**Disturbing Behavior**

**By: **Raven612

**Chapter 14: **We Will Rise Again

**A/N: **Sorry this took longer to post than I had originally wanted, but at least I actually got around to it! Also, Umbrella-ella pointed out a huge error in my last chapter so I am going to fix that with this chapter. Also I would like to let you all know whose stories I have read and reviewed and you've updated, I am going to read them it's just that school this semester has been so HARD and so BUSY but I suppose that's to be expected when next year is going to be my last year, lol. Anyways I am done rambling and get on with the story!

* * *

Gibbs was walking behind Abby up the front steps of his house when she wobbled and fell back into him. He caught her and steadied her on the ground, "You alright?" he asked as she looked around in a confused manner.

"I think so, I just got really dizzy for a second," she rubbed her temples and let out a hiss as a sting jolted her from the back of her head.

"Did you hit your head?" he asked and turned her around and noticed the crusted blood on the back of her neck and the dark stain it made on her tee shirt.

"Yeah, I smacked it on the stairs, I guess I forgot," she hissed when Gibbs examined the laceration.

"Well it's not too bad, you should live but we should clean the blood out of your hair," he gently let her hair fall back into place and wrapped his arm around her waist to prevent her from stumbling again.

"Head wounds always bleed a lot, even if the cut is tiny," Abby informed him as she hobbled next to him and into the house.

Gibbs nodded and sat her on the couch, "Wait here, I'll get some water and a rag," he kissed her temple as he left her.

Abby smiled and relaxed into the softness of Gibbs' couch and closed her eyes and let out a sigh. After a minute she heard Gibbs coming back, "You don't have to stitch it do you?"

Gibbs chuckled lightly, "Naw, it's pretty small, you should be alright if I just clean it up and put some antiseptic on it."

Abby nodded, "Alright, go for it, I can take it," she squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the sting of the antiseptic.

Abby hissed when she felt the cool water run down her neck, Gibbs stopped most of it with a towel. He then gingerly wiped at her cut with a rag cleaning away the blood. Satisfied that he did a good job he uncapped the antiseptic, "Now this will probably hurt like hell, you ready?"

Abby nodded, "just do it," she let out in a measured breath and balled her fists in the afghan she left on his couch from earlier.

Gibbs took a deep breath and poured the liquid on her scalp and brought the rag back to wipe away the excess liquid, "Well it doesn't need a band-aid so you're set," he announced as he gathered up his supplies.

Abby still had her eyes squeezed shut when Gibbs rounded the couch to help her upstairs, he noticed the tears on her cheeks and wiped them away then kissed her cheeks, "It's over now."

"Good, cuz that hurt like hell," Abby mumbled and opened her eyes slowly and smiled at him.

Gibbs grinned and put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him, "How's the leg?"

Abby sighed as she snuggled into his chest and breathed him in, "It doesn't hurt too much anymore, when I go back to the doctor next week I'm pretty sure I'll be able to walk…well slightly normally."

Gibbs nodded, "You sure you're alright?" he asked.

Abby sighed, she knew she could never hide her feelings from Gibbs, "I'm alright, just a little shaken up, I need a shower but I'd like it better if the power came back on so I wouldn't have to shower in the dark, plus the hot water would be cold."

Gibbs nodded, "You're worried about McGee and Ducky, huh?"

Abby grinned to herself and pushed herself up so she could look Gibbs in the eye, "Yeah, it would just be better if I could talk to them, make sure they're okay for myself," she shrugged and grinned lopsided.

Gibbs gently kissed her forehead, "They're fine, we'll see them both tomorrow morning."

Abby sighed, "I know, it's just been a long night," she sagged into the couch again and closed her eyes shutting out the sound of the now light sprinkle outside and the gentle hum of the light breeze.

Gibbs rubbed her arms in a soothing manner and leaned into the couch along with her and took a moment to try and uncoil his nerves, just as his eyes were fluttering shut a sudden explosion of light startled him.

"Powers back on," Abby announced with a wide smile and began to push herself from the couch now very conscious of the feel of dried blood in her hair and staining her shirt.

Gibbs stood up and held out his hand to help her get to her feet, "Need some help?"

Abby nodded and winced as she untangled her legs and stood; the overexertion from earlier was taking a toll and her thigh was throbbing in a dull ache, "Yeah, my leg is starting to hurt and get stiff," she confessed and wobbled slightly as Gibbs helped her to the stairs.

Gibbs lifted Abby into his arms and grinned slightly when she gave him a shocked look and grabbed onto him for dear life, "There's a busted step, don't think you can handle that."

Abby grinned and smacked him playfully, "You just wanted to get me in your arms," she smiled and buried her head into his neck and kissed him lightly right where his pulse fluttered.

Gibbs growled deep in his throat which only prompted Abby to kiss him more, "I like this side of you," she purred against his flesh.

"Abbs, you amaze me," he said as he reached the landing and let her lightly on her feet.

Abby regarded him curiously, "How?"

Gibbs grinned, "You were almost killed tonight and you're acting like nothing happened."

Abby shrugged and turned to go to the bathroom, "If I don't think about it then I don't feel…scared," as she said scared her voice started to tremble.

"It's normal to feel scared, hell I was scared tonight too, I thought I wouldn't get to you in time, I was afraid Ducky would've been killed, but I have faith in everyone on my team."

Abby cast him a look over her shoulder and smiled, "Thanks for rescuing me."

"I'm not the only one to thank; Tony took out one of the other guys. I was so focused on saving you that I didn't even think of the two guys behind me, which was a huge mistake."

Abby nodded, "I'm glad we're all okay," she said with a weak smiled and disappeared into the bathroom.

Gibbs sighed and ran his hand over his face and went into his bedroom, he sat on the bed and stared at the wall for a moment, but the sudden ringing of the phone made him start. He cursed under his breath and picked up, "Yeah?"

"Jethro?" Ducky's voice sounded.

Gibbs grinned despite himself, "One and only."

"Ah, I suppose so; I just wanted to make sure Abigail was okay."

"She's fine Duck, shook up, but fine, how are you?"

The line was silent for a few seconds and Gibbs thought that maybe Ducky's phone had died, but soon Ducky answered, "I'd be lying if I said I was fine, but I'm not dead."

"She's worried about you too," Gibbs said.

Ducky nodded, "Have you heard anything about Timothy?"

"Just that he was staying in Bethesda overnight."

"Jethro," Ducky's voice changed, it softened and became quieter.

"Duck, we're all going to be okay, the trial is in a few days, Herrera will be behind bars soon and his damn minions will not touch anyone again, I'll make damn sure of it."

Gibbs heard the slight chuckle, "I know you will Jethro."

Gibbs smirked, "Goodnight Duck, we'll be by in the morning; Abby won't be able to rest properly until she knows you and McGee are alright."

"Ah, dear Abigail, tell her goodnight for me Jethro."

Gibbs nodded and hung up the phone; he scrubbed his hands over his face once more and pushed himself to his feet. He changed into a tee shirt and sweats and went downstairs to clean up the mess left behind. He passed by the bathroom where the door was slightly ajar and he could hear the faint sounds of Abby washing. He went to the basement to get the tools necessary for repairing the shattered stair and a quick swig of Brandy.

* * *

Despite being beat Abby woke early the next morning and was disheartened to see that Gibbs had woken before her, or hadn't come to bed from the night before. When she finished her shower Gibbs was in the basement working. She stretched and soothed her aching leg, but soon the pounding in her head had her groaning and lying back in her pillow.

"Abs, you up?" came Gibbs' voice from the hallway.

"Getting there," Abby answered back in a groan.

Gibbs smirked as he stepped into the room and handed her a cup of coffee, "Figured you'd be sore in the morning, didn't want to disturb you so I slept on the couch."

Abby scrunched her face up as she gingerly sipped the warm liquid, "You could've come to bed. I didn't want to kick you out."

Gibbs sat down next to her and sipped his coffee before he answered, "You didn't kick me out, I enjoy having you here," he let his unsaid words hang in the air; he knew Abby picked up on the rest of his thoughts.

Abby smiled as she took another sip of her coffee, feeling better she slowly got to her feet and unsteadily walked to the corner of Gibbs' room where he put her duffle bag, "Is Ducky at home?"

Gibbs smirked, having known Abby would ask him he already took care of it this morning, "We're going to pick him and Ziva up on the way to see McGee."

Abby turned to him with a huge grin on her face, "You know me too well," she said as she threw her clothes over her shoulder and walked over to Gibbs. She stood between his legs and bent down to give him a kiss on the lips, "I'll shower and get dressed," she kissed him one last time before turning and grabbing herself a crutch to help her down the hall to the bathroom.

* * *

McGee had given up on talking Abby out of drawing morbid pictures on his cast. It seems that he too joined the elite club and had broken his leg in the crash, he also had a large laceration on his forehead as well as spotty bruising, some bruised ribs, and a moderate concussion. McGee tilted his head down to watch as Abby drew a skeleton cat.

"What are you trying to do to my cast?" he asked her.

Abby smirked, "I'm making it pretty," she shaded around her characters as she talked not looking up at McGee.

"Well Timothy, you just couldn't be left out could you," Ducky said with a chuckle as he wheeled his chair a little closer to the bed.

McGee chuckled, "Well it wasn't by choice Duck."

Ducky grinned and nodded, "I'm just glad you're alright, that we're all alright," his accent became thick as his emotions seeped into his words.

"Aw Duck," Abby smiled as she used her crutch to go around McGee's bed and gave the ME a hug.

"Timmy," Tony's voice boomed as he stepped through the door holding a huge bouquet of vibrantly colored flowers while Ziva followed with a few balloons, they had gone down to the gift shop over an hour ago.

"Tony, did you buy all the flowers in the shop?" McGee asked in an annoyed tone.

Tony flashed him a grin, "Just wanted to show my support."

Abby faked a frown, "You never got me balloons," she said in mock hurt.

Tony's smile fell and he sauntered over to her, "Well I would have but they were out of the 'Get Well Soon' voodoo balloons."

Abby chuckled and put her arm around Tony's waist as he came to stand next to her. She glanced back at Gibbs who stood in the corner sipping a cup of coffee.

"You will be out soon, yes?" Ziva asked as she came up to the opposite side of McGee's bed.

"I'm hoping tomorrow, it depends on my CATscan later today."

"How is your head Timothy?" Ducky asked.

"Hurts like hell," he mumbled in a chuckle.

Abby smiled faintly and grabbed his hand, "I just want to thank you McGee, for helping us, Ducky and me."

McGee smiled at her and stroked her knuckles with his thumb, "You guys are part of my team, my family, and I'd do it all over again if I had to."

Tony faked a sob, "Oh McSofty that was beautiful," he wailed in an overly dramatic woman's voice.

Ziva chuckled lightly from her side of the bed and Abby and Ducky grinned.

"You did a good job McGee," Gibbs said finally.

McGee smiled and nodded, "Thanks boss, I'm just glad it was mostly a happy ending."

"Here, here," Tony said and grabbed McGee's Styrofoam cup and raised it as if he were making a toast.

Everyone chuckled. Gibbs even grinned a little. They all chatted light heartedly for another hour before Ducky's doctor happened by and spotted him and recruited him into some more physical therapy. A few days prior Ducky was actually able to slightly move his big toe. Abby and Gibbs stayed a while after Ducky left, but Gibbs noticed how tired Abby was becoming and so excused them while Ziva and Tony stayed behind to talk some more.

* * *

"I'm surprised Tony and Ziva were the last ones left with McGee," Abby said then let out a huge yawn.

Gibbs grunted in response as he drove them home.

"Isn't it odd how a tragedy can bring people together?" Abby asked as she looked out her window at the buildings they passed.

"I could live without the tragedy portion," Gibbs answered and grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips and kissed it softly.

Abby looked over and smiled at him, "So you figure this whole mess will be worked out soon?"

Gibbs let out a sigh and cut the engine as they pulled into his driveway, he turned to her, "I think we've all been affected differently by everything and I think everyone is sorting through it all on their own and no one wants to talk about it. If you need anything or want to talk about anything, Abbs, I'm here for you, I'll always be here for you."

Abby smiled and leaned over the center console and kissed him lightly on the lips, "I know you will be Gibbs, but I just can't find the right words to express myself right now, I just need some time, and I'm sure everyone probably feels the same. How about you, do you want to talk about it?"

Gibbs looked thoughtful, "I'd like to, but only when you're ready," he smiled faintly and pulled the keys from the ignition and went around to Abby's side to help her out.

Abby grabbed his hand and allowed him to pull her up, "I don't understand how you went through three wives so quickly, they don't know what they had."

Gibbs grinned and helped Abby situate herself on her crutches, "I went through them to finally get to you," he said in a rare moment of softness and kissed her temple.

Abby smiled to herself, "And all it took was three ex-wives and eight years of foreplay."

Gibbs chuckled as he pushed the door open for them, "Foreplay, huh?"

Abby turned towards him with a twinkle in her eye and grinned.

* * *

**A/N: **So? Let me know how you liked it, I'm not too sure on my own feelings for it at the moment :s The next chapter will be second to last, and there things will finally heat up, so stick around for just a tiny but longer, also Road Trip will be updated sometime this week! That's going to get interesting soon too! Well leave me a review and I promise to get to everyone's stories soon, possibly get a few tomorrow before I have to go to school. Thanks for reading!!


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